The number one complaint I hear from brides is about bad customer service. Have you ever thought about turning that paradigm around? Just suppose for a minute that the thing you were most known for was the consistent quality of your customer service. Do you think that is a radical approach? I don’t and neither do the folks at Sewell Cadillac.
How amazing was that story? I know you aren’t a car dealership and you don’t stock parts. That’s not the point. The point is that this business has made its name and reputation on its customer service. You can do the same thing if you just decide to focus on it. Build the tools and attitude in to your products on the front end, not as an afterthought.
All too often I listen to bridal vendors complain about being a push over and giving away the store in extra services. ACK! If your customers are consistently asking you to do the same things over and over why not just include it in your base price and do it for everyone. For example, I never charged a delivery charge on a wedding cake, I guarantee you the cost was figured in up front but I was always able to tell my brides, “Oh no, don’t worry about that. We’ll take care of that for you.” The perception was of exceptional customer service. Once you earn that reputation you will command a higher dollar.
The thing about marketing through customer service is you can’t just advertise the “Best Service Anywhere” and expect it to work. You have to live it and breathe it first then let it market itself. It is the perfect thing to generate word of mouth buzz. You know these girls talk to each other. If you drop the ball on a customer service issue you will be all over the forums and chat rooms before the day is over. Conversely, your brides won’t identify the difference in you to be ‘customer service’ but they will recognize how special you made them feel and pass that along to everyone they know.
Take a second to look at it from the other side of the coin. How do you feel about the vendors you use and their customer service? It is a two way street. If you are getting stunning customer service from on of your suppliers you will most likely stick with them through some price adjustments. You know what I mean, that supplier that pulled your bacon out of the fire on more than one occasion versus the one that said “Too bad, not my problem.” When your fellow wedding warrior asks for a recommendation, which one are you going to refer?
It takes time and an adjustment in attitude to make it work. In the long run it is well worth the effort. There is no better marketing that word of mouth.
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