It should come as no surprise that your customers expect a certain level of respect and professionalism when using your products and/or services. With that said, do you know how much your customer service really affects your business?

Read on to learn why your customer service needs a boost, as well as how to get started.

Why it’s essential

Customer service goes beyond accepting returns and shipping out exchanges (although, that’s certainly a big part of it!). Treating your customers well touches every aspect of interaction, from email correspondence regarding order statuses to a question about your current selection of products. In any situation, customers expect to receive a prompt and comprehensive answer to their questions and concerns. If they don’t, you can bet that they’ll be clicking over to your competitor’s website next.

While this can certainly have an effect on your bottom line, it can also harm something even more fragile: your brand. One lost customer may not seem like a big deal, but consider how far that one customer can spread their experience with your company. A damaged reputation can be difficult to come back from, so it’s always better to address any customer service issues upfront.

How to do it

While customer service can come easily for some, for others it can be a challenge. Everyone is different and, as a part of customer service, you will need to deal with all sorts of personalities. One of the best ways to boost your outreach to clients and customers is to make yourself easily accessible. Nobody likes having a question and not knowing how to ask it! If you don’t already have one, create a contact form on your website that is easy to use and includes a space for them to send questions or concerns. If possible, include an email address and phone number on the contact page as well.

Frequently asked questions are another great tool to take your customer experience to the next level. Emailing a company with a question isn’t fun, so why not save potential customers the extra step? An FAQ page shares common questions with those who are interested and, in many cases, will provide them the answer they were looking for before they even have to reach out. Bonus: FAQs also save you the time of fielding and responding to emails with the same questions!

While these strategies will certainly boost your user experience, the number one key to great customer service is to always be kind and respectful. People want to feel like they are talking to another human when they reach out with questions, so be personable while maintaining a level of professionalism. If you have a team that handles customer relations, ensure that they are fully trained for the job and don’t be afraid to give them a test run with some mock questions and/or complaints. Remember: A team is only as strong as its leader, so be sure that you are keeping an eye on all outgoing communications with customers to guarantee its quality.

Audrey Isaac is the spokesperson of 100 Candles, a wholesale market for candles and lights. Since 2002, thousands of wedding and event professionals have entrusted 100 Candles with their wholesale candle accounts. For more information, please visit https://www.100candles.com/.