After a difficult six months for franchises up and down the country, it’s clear to see the common denominator when it comes to success – excellent customer service.
With 56 per cent of people around the world having stopped doing business with a company because of a poor customer service experience1, it’s more important than ever to ensure your franchise is on top form. This September, Greensleeves saw the most turnover in a single month in the history of the company, up 45 per cent on the same time last year. The reason for this? Customer service. Here are my five top tips to franchises to provide first-class customer service…
- First (online) impressions matter
Good online customer service is essential to a franchisee’s business. Eighty-nine per cent of consumers will shop with a competitor after a poor website experience2, so making your site more customer-friendly, easier to navigate and informative is essential. It’s also important to provide your contact information as 51 per cent of people state they believe complete contact information is something many websites are missing3, so don’t make the mistake of just supplying a contact form. Testimonials from satisfied customers are also a fantastic way to build trust with your online audience, highlighting your track record and reputation, which leads me on to my next tip.
2. Develop a great reputation
Great online reviews will give a new customer the confidence to pick up the phone to you. A recent poll from online marketing experts Bright Local revealed that 82 per cent of consumers read online reviews on local businesses before using them4. A great way to boost your reputation online can be as simple as asking your current clients to leave you a review once you’ve finished a job or project. At Greensleeves, we practise what we preach – our 4.9/5 rating on Trustpilot is one of the major reasons we have thrived over this really challenging period.
3. Communication is the key
When talking to a customer use positive language, turn your ‘maybe’ into a ‘definitely’ and your ‘I’ll try to do that’ into an ‘I will do that’. Positive language and a glass-half-full mentality will allow you to develop a healthy relationship with your customer. How you communicate with your customer over an email or on the phone is also essential. Respond to emails in a timely manner, I’d recommend 24 hours at least. Try not to miss calls because the likelihood is, if you miss a call from a potential new client, they will take their business elsewhere. Customers want to buy from suppliers who are attentive and eager to help.
4. Time management saves everyone time
Franchisees often have numerous clients over their territory and even if you have a reliable team, the bigger a territory and the more clients a territory has, the harder it becomes for a franchisee to manage their time. Learning how to prioritise and staying on top of your calendar is key to keeping your clients happy. Taking 15 minutes at the end of each day to plan for the next one is crucial. Doing this is proven to help you digest information and go into the next day feeling more productive. Doing this will make you more positive and clearer headed, resulting in better customer service.
5. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver
In the business world, promising something you can’t deliver is an easy way to lose business and a client’s trust. Knowing your services inside and out is important – that way you or your team won’t offer something you can’t deliver. Talk through the process of your service step by step. Once you have established this, the client can’t be disappointed because they know exactly what they are getting and why.
Greensleeves has proved to be resilient against recent economic pressures and, despite the fact we can’t sit and have a cup of tea with our clients as easily anymore, having that reliable familiar face in the garden has been another reason why they have booked our services throughout the pandemic.
Microsoft, State of global customer service report 2017
2 Webfx, Website Statistics For 2020: 10 Critical Stats to Know for Web Design
3 Komarketing, B2B Web Usability Report 2015
