By Luke Weigel
Brand Manager, Lessiter Media
lweigel@lessitermedia.com
262-777-2424
I recently went on a little road trip to visit some of our audience at their place of business, and was surprised by how often the welcome was not exactly what I would call “warm.” It wasn’t necessarily rude or dismissive either, but I certainly did not feel overly confident that I was going to be a priority or have a productive experience.
Maybe it was obvious that I wasn’t there to buy what they were selling and they didn’t want to waste the time on their clock with a non-buyer. Or maybe a ‘back of house’ staffer was covering some ‘front of house’ responsibilities they weren’t used to or trained for. Or maybe it can just be chalked up to not having a good day.
On my ride home, it got me thinking about the role customer service can play in a company’s marketing strategy. Customer Service, simply put, is the “front lines” of almost every customer interaction a company has, and we all play a role in that, no matter what our title is.
Whether it’s a phone call, an email, an exchange on social media or an in-person conversation, a well-handled customer service experience can be the simple difference between a return customer that speaks highly of you and recommends your business to others … or a negative review that can quickly spread like wildfire.
At Lessiter Media, we each have a laminated printout of the company’s 6 core values and bullet points under each to reinforce the overall value, and themes of high-level customer service are highlighted throughout. One in particular really stood out as I was putting this Marketing Minute together — Treat everyone as you’d want your Grandma treated.
A simple approach like that can go a long way, and something we take to heart. Whether it’s walking with someone to a hard to find room at one of our events instead of just pointing them in the direction and letting them fend for themselves or making a special in-person visit instead of just sending an email — that extra effort on the customer service side can go a long ways in making a lasting impact.
This infographic shows the benefits of implementing a customer service role into your overall marketing strategy.
How do you integrate the customer service role into your marketing efforts? We’d love to hear what you’re doing and how it’s impacting your business.
