Page 3 - March 2018 Newsletter

C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E & FIRST IMPRESSIONS

That service was horrible! Did she even acknowledge my presence?
How long must one wait?

Over 95% of unhappy customers never complain. But for those who do – Watch out!
Statistics show that the ones who do complain will tell up to 15 people about their bad
experience. Yikes! Starting in March, the chamber is partnering with Andrew Nussbaum
with the Department of Tourism to lead a three part series on customer service and first
impressions. Two identical sessions will be offered, one in the morning and one in the
afternoon, so make plans to send your front line and phone staff to this valuable training
opportunity.
Make sure that you and your staff are armed with knowledge that can make your customers happy and keep your
online reputation positive. Good customer service does affect your bottom line. 81% of people are more likely to
work with a business again after a good experience. Profits can increase as much as 125% and customer retention is
increased by 5%. If you are a service industry business, keep in mind that negative interactions spread to two times
as many people as positive, and it can be up to seven times more expensive to get a new customer than to keep your
existing customers happy.
And First Impressions? What does that mean? My people?
My storefront? My online profile? The answer is – All of the
above! 76% of customers regularly use online reviews to
determine which business to use. Are your online reviews
positive? Are you considering the reviews and discussing with
staff ways to improve? Do you answer your negative reviews
online? If not, you should.
Your storefront is your customer’s first impression. Location,
appearance and maintenance all play an important part in
making that impression. Most consumers decide in about
two to five seconds whether or not your storefront’s first
impression is worthy of a stop. The outside appearance of
your building space is what they expect to find on the inside
of the business. Are your sidewalks clean, inviting and in good
repair? Are you creating window displays that are inviting, seasonal and a good representation of what the
consumer will find inside? If you need help getting creative or want to bounce off ideas, contact chamber staff and
we will brainstorm with you. Most importantly, make plans to attend the trainings below. Make sure you have the
tools that you need to provide an excellent first impression and customer experience – both in human form and on
your digital profile.