National Clothesline

As business owner and managers, we focus a considerable amount of our attention on customers.

However, almost all of our energy is directed at finding new customers, loyal customers, and

more customers than the competition.

In the rush to acquire new customers, two important aspects are often forgotten — customer service and customer satisfaction.

Many businesses talk about customer service, but sadly for most, it has become just that — talk. While we talk about knocking down the barriers for customers to buy from us, we are putting up new barriers for maintaining that relationship, especially if something goes wrong.

Most of us apply a great deal of energy and effort to get that first sale, rather than building a relationship that translates into future sales and relationships, and incremental sales due to referrals. Too many drycleaners are focusing only on getting that immediate sale.

The Walt Disney company’s 50,000+ employees consistently deliver legendary customer service, which has kept them ranked as an elite customer service company for well over twenty years.

There are several other companies doing this as well, such as Nordstrom’s, Southwest Airlines and Marriot Hotels to name a few.

How do they do it?

The answer is simple. They have made customer service a part of their business culture.

Customer service has become infused in everything they do, from answering the phone, to solving problems, to ensuring that the customer is completely satisfied. It requires assessing every aspect of your operations, but the reward of lifelong customers, who become advocates of your brand and refer you to others, is worth it.

Here are six areas to begin focusing on that, in the long run, will help you change your company ’s culture to one of customer service and total satisfaction.

The number one complaint of customers, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce ’s Office of Consumer Affairs, is that they are not able to speak to someone in authority about their issues. Nothing is as frustrating as having a complaint with no one to complain to.

In a customer service culture it is important that every employee be empowered to solve customers ’ problems, or to immediately involve someone who can.

Customers feel cheated when they have to pay more than the agreed upon price. No matter how legitimate the reason, it is the perception of customers, who have to pay a different amount than the price they were quoted, that they have become a victim of fraud.

In a customer service culture, upfront and transparent pricing has to happen. If there are any additional charges, present those options and prices to the customer before processing the garment.

Don’t be accused of bait-and-switch. Give an honest representation of the services you offer. For instance, if you offer “Same-day service,” be sure to say: “Until 9 or 10 a.m.” (or noon, or whatever your cutoff time is). Otherwise, expect customers to request your service 15 minutes before closing.

We live in a society that demands instant gratification. Quick and frequent communication go a long way toward giving the perception that you are taking action on a customer ’s problem and attempting to resolve it.

Never allow a problem to go unresolved for more than 48 hours.

It would seem that quality on all levels should be an obvious part of any company ’s way of doing business: it’s really not.

Many drycleaners feel justified in allowing deficiencies in quality because they don ’t feel they’re getting the prices they deserve for top quality work. While this may true, each of us sets our own prices, and if we charge anything less than we feel we deserve it our own fault.

As a businessperson, you probably got into this business because you have a passion to succeed. You have to transfer this level of passion to the pleasing the people who use your services.

And if you want them to be satisfied and keep purchasing from you, you need to be more passionate about your customers than your competition. This is extremely important in a crowded industry where one drycleaner is often perceived as being similar to another.

Putting satisfaction into your customer service takes a commitment from you and your team that will require an investment of time and effort, but the dividends are well worth it.

Your company can join the select group of drycleaners who walk the talk. They don ’t just pay lip service to customer service; they actually achieve customer satisfaction.