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Happy Customer Service Week

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Next week or most of next week, October 3 – 7, is Customer Service week. According to the Customer Service Group, in 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated the firs full week in October.

While there is a lot of talk about customer service, companies usually don’t do as many things as they could or should on a regular basis to let customers know that they are appreciated.

Customer Service Week gives companies the opportunity to reaffirm how important their customers are to them. Start with a short email letting customers know how much you appreciate them and thanking them for their business.

You might want to create a special offer for your customers. Consider segmenting your customer list so your best customers are given more than those who spend less with you. Or expand Customer Service Week through the weekend and invite your best customers to visit you on that weekend for a small celebration.

It is also a great week to empower your employees, giving them opportunities to make a difference. Encourage them to engage with customers more and thank them for their patronage. Offer small rewards for employees who go out of their way to take care of customers during this week. You don’t only tell customers that they are important to you, prove it.

An article in Forbes magazine suggests writing thank-you notes to customers. You can assign a few customers to each employee, even those that don’t regularly come into contact with customers and ask the employees to write the thank-you notes to these customers.

Customer Service Week is also a great time for a customer service training session. Even an in house session where your employees talk about what they do to engage with customers. A prize can be given for the best idea.

There are lots of things that can be done to make Customer Service Week a way to let your customers and your employees know that they are appreciated.

A tip of the glass from me to you

Elizabeth SlaterE Column
by Elizabeth “E” Slater, In Short Direct Marketing

A recognized expert in the fields of direct marketing and sales in the wine marketplace. Slater has taught more wineries and winery associations how to create and improve the effectiveness of their direct marketing programs and to make the most of each customer’s potential than anyone in the wine industry today.

Follow E on twitter @esavant and facebook.

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