Perhaps you've noticed this recently. Suddenly good customer service is seen as an important ingredient in a company's success. From the founder of Zappos, the Internet seller of shoes, to Apple computer products, and seemingly everyone in between, that emotional connection with a product often referred to as branding is being directly connected to outstanding customer service. The somewhat amazing part is that none of this is really new. Companies that have weathered bad times have always known that the key to their survival was finding new and keeping old customers, and this approach is ingrained in their cultures.
For many small companies, there is the misperception that good customer service is an expense, one perhaps that they cannot afford at this time. Nothing could be further from the truth! As the competitive climate continues to tighten and consumers are more conscious of their spending, customer service and satisfaction become key factors in many buying decisions. Indeed, given their nimbleness of size and autonomous decision making, many small businesses can react faster and more favorably with customers than any of their larger, slower competitors.
What many small companies are pushing aggressively is simply getting across to their employees that their jobs and their customers are intricately woven together and it doesn't cost anything to smile and say thank you. Most people respond very favorably when employees are polite, when they sincerely convey their appreciation of their business, and when they thank them for their business. Most of us who experience a pleasant shopping experience are quite happy to mention it to others.
Consider the following examples. My wife and I recently had a product exchange opportunity with the Golf Headquarters at Hamilton Place. Once the situation was explained, the owner was only too glad to positively resolve our issue, one that was caused by our mistake. We've subsequently returned to purchase other products from that store, items that could have easily been purchased elsewhere. But we appreciate their commitment to customer satisfaction, and that commitment is certainly worth something to us. The same model holds consistently true for East Ridge Bicycles. Bicycles, accessories, clothing, whatever the need, these are all just pieces these good folks are constantly fitting together to complete the puzzle of a satisfied customer.
Contrast this, however, with a recent experience at an upscale eatery where a rather sullen employee was mopping up a spill on the floor. While the mop job was completed, the litter on the floor and the crumbs on the counter top were totally ignored. The employee broadcasted an atmosphere of negativity that was palpable to everyone waiting in line. We'll not go back there.
The important message here is that for small-business owners, this commitment, expectation and requirement for customer satisfaction and service can only come from the top. As you are "the top," your personal example is the multiplying advantage you have in a competitive marketplace. Don't miss out on the chance to make the most of your individual and unique opportunity.
John F. Riddell Jr., director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth-Hamilton County, writes every other Tuesday about entrepreneurs and their impact on companies and the marketplace. Submit comments to his attention by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at business@timesfreepress.com.