As an avid cyclist, I have been buying my bike from the same bike store for years. Looking purely at the components, the brand I ride on is comparable to many other brands. Yet I keep coming back to the same brand and the same dealer. Why? Because he knows me and my bike and therefore knows what I want and what my bike needs. In addition, I receive good service and am always offered a cup of coffee.
Actually, he is exploiting something that has been known for many years, which is that service is a very important factor in retaining existing customers.
What is service?
There are numerous definitions of service. When arising problems are adequately solved, or the quality of service after purchase is good, one speaks of good service. Service concerns all activities that are done for a customer after purchase of a good. And of course a supplier does this for a reason. The goal is to leave the customer experience in such a way that customer loyalty, the bond between customer and supplier, is strengthened.
Service after Sales
Comparing products today is no longer difficult, finding the lowest price for parts has become very easy. So if you want to stand out as a supplier and really bind customers, you will have to offer more than just a nice product at a good price. And that more is in the service after the purchase. A satisfied customer is not by definition a loyal customer who will come back to you at the end of the product's life or when there is an additional need. If you want to achieve that, you will have to act accordingly.
In practice, this means that the service department - the department that will have the most contact with the customer after the purchase - must function optimally. So the service department will have to ensure that it can provide excellent service. And what should you think about?
- At contact moments, make sure that all details of the conscious customer are known
- At those points of contact, make sure that all details of the products purchased by him are also known
- Record a good service history
- Make sure prices on invoices are correct
It goes without saying that this requires good tools and a good transfer from the sales department to the service department.
Service is not a cost
At many companies I visited in the past, sales often stood for revenue and profit and service was seen as a cost. Fortunately, companies are realizing more and more that service moments are important to differentiate yourself as a company from the competition and thus retain customer loyalty.
Peter Gerhardt is Senior Lead Consultant Logistics at Dysel and helps customers achieve maximum results with its business software.
