Improve customer service 'instead of wasting money on marketing'

Excellent standards of customer service could save small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from wasting money on marketing campaigns.

This is the opinion of Mike Ogilvie, accountant and international conference speaker at mikeogilvie.com, who said advertising can be "a massive profit robber" for minor companies, because they do not have the expertise to run successful promotional projects.

However, this does not necessarily mean SMEs will have difficulty picking up and retaining customers, as the expert asserted that providing a great customer service will see firms collecting fans, who will spread the word by mouth and on the internet.

"Don't be satisfactory and dull like the majority of businesses - instead be magnificent and dazzling, so that people ... tell the world about you," Mr Ogilvie advised.

Katherine Mance, executive director of the National Retail Foundation in the US, which awards companies for good customer service, recently said firms need to be attentive and responsive to queries, complaints and the needs of the shopper.

This may make social media management products a wise investment, as many people now take to the internet to discuss items, criticise businesses and ask for help.

0 comments