Start off with good customer service

Improve customer service through initial actions A recent incident with a business taught me a lesson and offers reminders for everyone. This column is aimed at the provider, but customers can learn from it, too. 1. Be clear at the outset. Fully explain and define what you are offering. Provide all information in writing. If … Read more

Always follow up on messages, Web postings

Reading the title of this post, you’re probably thinking, “Duh! Who wouldn’t follow up?” Amazingly, some people decide not to, showing a gap in their customer service skills. Several recent incidents point out the need for a brief refresher on how to provide good customer service.

The topic of customer service could fill volumes. I’ll restrict myself to a handful of paragraphs. What I experienced serves as a great illustration of what can happen to you. My incidents involved two people and an organization. Here are the bare facts:

Person A: I posted a message on his Facebook page inquiring about a product he once sold. I wanted to know if he still represented the product, as I might want to buy some one day.

Person B: I posted a message on her Facebook page inquiring about a networking group that I knew she used to participate in. Didn’t receive a response from her. 

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