Customer service is just as important for manufacturers and wholesalers as it is for any other type of business. It is important to consider your company’s interactions with customers to ensure their experience is positive from beginning to end. A poor experience with your company could lead to a dissatisfied customer, and possibly a bad online review, and one bad review can have a bigger impact than 100 positive ones. Create a positive customer experience with these suggestions.
Each wholesale customer has their own personality and way of communicating with your company to obtain information. Offer customers clear ways to reach you. An easy-to-find Contact Us page on your website is a good start. Some customers will want to speak with a sales representative, some will prefer email or social media, while others will prefer the convenience of a B2B customer portal. By offering many communication options, you can connect with customers in the way that works best for them.
Just like communication flow, your wholesale customers will want to place orders and comfortably interact with your staff. Some will want to speak to a sales rep, some will prefer emailing their orders, and some will enjoy the convenience of placing their orders through a B2B customer portal. For maximum effect, your online ordering portal should sync with your QuickBooks accounting software so that your customers can answer their questions with up-to-date info such as inventory availability, pricing, invoices, and tracking numbers. Having several choices available is a great way to make the order process efficient and increase customer satisfaction.
Inside and outside sales representatives should have up-to-the-minute client information at their fingertips. Giving them access to the customer information stored in QuickBooks through an online sales rep portal is important so that they can know the account’s details. Having this info immediately available rather than asking the customer to wait on hold or for a response to an email improves customer service. Some companies even note a buyer’s personal details in their systems to help create that personal touch.
When a mistake is made, contact the customer right away. Let them hear it from you rather than wait for them to discover the error themselves. People appreciate an up-front approach, and an early warning of an issue can often be the difference between an out-of-stock emergency and a minor inconvenience. It’s important to offer a solution that can help diffuse the situation and reassure the customer that you care and are taking steps to fix it.
Some customer service departments use the C.A.R.P. method to address customer complaints. It stands for:
When a customer lodges a complaint, immediately take control and acknowledge their issue. Then, quickly refocus the discussion in a positive direction and find a solution that is agreeable to both parties.
If the same complaint is coming from multiple customers, you may have a larger issue that needs to be resolved. You also must remember that many customers with a negative experience never file a formal complaint. A customer complaint rate of just five percent is most likely much higher. Ensure you make it easy for customers to give feedback, and then make sure you respond to them.
Even if only a few customers bring up the same issue, many customers may have that same negative experience. Look to see whether the complaints are arising from a system problem in your company, and find a way to address the root cause if there is one.