How Customer Service Can Convert Into Sales

Customer service can convert into sales in your business if you take advantage of the opportunities that cross your doorstep. Many companies miss out on great opportunities to not only make another sale, but get the referral machine working in their favor. By this I mean that if procedures and training are setup with your office and field customer service staff, then you will be able to turn negative situations into positive ones.

Understanding how customer service can make lemonade out of lemons could have a significant impact on your overall sales at the end of the year. One thing you can do if you operate a business that has inbound telephone traffic, when answering the phone and taking care of a service issue, keep an accurate log of information so there's never an excuse about who said what. It also pays to have a protocol that your staff can follow if you operate a service business and your technicians and/or personnel answer the phone while out in the field. Make sure that they know how to look for selling opportunities while working through a service situation. Technicians and 'field folk' often have times when they can sell an additional product or service, but also make the everlasting impression which your customer will remember for a long time. Here are three Simple Tips that you can implement to increase your chances of turning a service issue into a sale: 1. Get together with your staff and managers to determine the best way that everyone can participate in creating better customer service and selling opportunities. 2. Offer a free gift to the customer. Many times this can help with easing any tension or inconvenience that they have experienced. One doctor I know of uses a coffee company gift card to ease the pain of his clients when something happens in his scheduling department. Tip here: do not offer a discount on future products and services as this can irritate the customer if the situation has not gone well. 3. Use Soft Up-sells if the service call or appointment went well. This kind of approach will work if you have a guideline setup and the CSR (customer service rep) knows how to handle a situation. You might find that it pays to put together a procedure manual that outlines how your customer service staff should handle issues, challenges and problems. Once you have a manual put together then consider role playing or lead by example and show the staff how you want something done. Live action and your example will go along way, showing your staff that you mean business but are willing to step up and teach them how to take care of situations pertaining to customer service.