Why is customer service important?

Happy customers are the key to a successful business. And the key to happy customers is to offer great customer service. There are several reasons why is customer service important.

No matter if you work in the food business or have a retail store, the competition is tough and to stand out, a brand needs to be known for its customer service experience not just its products and services. People are looking for a wow factor, something that will pleasantly surprise them, and even exceed their expectations.

It is important to provide great customer service is important because it benefits your business in the long run. People are willing to pay a premium for an experience, they become loyal returning customers and also recommend your business to their friends. From good communications to POS machines – there are many factors that should be taken into account when thinking of customer service.

What do customers expect? 

When people visit a store or a restaurant, they one of the things they expect is that the waitresses or salespeople know everything about your product or service. Covid-19 has amplified the need for easy access to products, services, and information. (3) When shopping online, it is quite easy to find out all the information you need and people have become so accustomed to it they expect it at every touch-point with a business nowadays.

According to a study by PWC, the in-store experience is an important factor for shoppers in the Middle East. The overall shopping experience in the region is heightened, especially in UAE and KSA given the want to shop in-store. 25% of the regional shoppers say that the most important attribute to the in-store experience is sales associates with deep knowledge of the product range. (1)

For example, you own a trendy clothing store with multiple locations across Dubai. A customer comes in and finds an item of clothing they like, but unfortunately, you don’t have their size in the store. Is the size available in some other location perhaps? Salespeople need to find that out fast, otherwise, you lose a sale and risk disappointing the customer.

Or let’s say you own a popular restaurant near a business center where local office people like to lunch. Lunchtime is always very busy for your restaurant but also the diners – they need to grab a quick lunch and then head back to the office. Before sitting down, they already want to know the food preparation time. Can the waitress provide accurate information?

These examples show why customer service is important. These are common occurrences that can be solved easily if your business has a POS system and software in Dubai. If you have a cloud-based POS system, the salespeople can access inventory across stores without any problems. They may also make a note on the CRM system to give the customer a small discount to make up for the fact that they had to go to another store to purchase their size. That will be a nice surprise for a customer.

For restaurants, a POS system that can be integrated with kitchen display can be of help to provide good customer service. This way waitresses can take orders from the table and the information is automatically transferred to the kitchen where the chefs can start cooking. Waitresses can continue to the next table without any delay. This will improve the customer waiting time during rush hours. Also, waitresses can see the information of what is the current food prep time. This way customers know what they are in for.

Payment methods

Customer service is influenced even by small details like what kind of payment methods you accept. In addition to knowledgeable salespeople, variety and convenience of payment have an important role to pay. According to PWC, 32% of shoppers say that quick and easy payment methods (including mobile and contactless payment) are most important to their in-store experience. (1)

Furthermore, the PWC survey reveals that the biggest growth in mobile payment was experienced in The Middle East, with a 45% increase in mobile payment usage over one year. That is almost double the rate of Western markets and globally, an overall increase of 24% was seen over the past year. (2)

This is backed up by a KPMG survey that found that people are reducing physical purchase occasions and gravitating towards touchless shopping and contactless payment. 82% of global consumers stated they are more likely to use digital wallets or credit cards in the future, as per the KPMG Global Covid-19 Tracker, Customer Connections: Competing in the new reality June 2020. (3)

For a company, this means that you have to be able to accept different payment methods with convenience and ease with credit card machines or other.

Customer service affects your brand

A brand image is created in peoples’ heads with every encounter they have with your company. It is more than just a logo, website, product, or service. That is why customer service is an important part of a brand.

If the salespeople are nice and smiling, it becomes part of your brand. If the service is reliable and fast, if salespeople assist the customer and make them feel welcome, it all affects how customers think about your company. Creating a desirable brand image is one reason why customer service is important. A brand is just as much about intangible qualities and feelings it creates in the customers’ minds as it is about quality and pricing.

Increases customer loyalty

Good customer service can help you reduce your marketing budget in the long run. Good customer service keeps people coming back to your business. Regarding marketing budget, it is more cost-effective to have more loyal returning customers, than to spend on acquiring new customers all the time.

Customers who feel appreciated and welcome will become loyal customers. Those are the ones who visit your business regularly, and that means increased customer’s lifetime value for your business. You become a go-to place for a customer when they need something that you offer because they know that your customer service is reliable.

Retail POS system with CRM integration helps you take good care of your loyal customers. Your customer service team can create personal promotions for loyal customers. For example, café owners can surprise the customers by giving every 5th cup of coffee for free or adding a free slice of cake to the customer’s meal. This keeps loyal customers happy and they feel appreciated.

If you see a pattern that your customer always wants his coffee with non-dairy milk, you can surprise them by proactively offering that. This is a standard of customer service that your customers will remember and talk to their friends about.

Recommendations and reviews

Loyal, always pleasantly surprised customers will recommend your business to their friends. Word of mouth marketing is the most efficient marketing tactic. It is reliable – the recommendations come from a person they trust – and it helps the company save on marketing costs.

Getting superb reviews is why customer service is important. Most people are checking reviews and asking their friends for recommendations before deciding to visit a new restaurant.

Getting good reviews about your customer service should also be important to you if you want to target tourists. They often take a look at TripAdvisor or Google ratings and reviews when deciding on a restaurant. Positive feedback will do so much for a business.

The importance of customer service should not be underestimated. People don’t recommend based only on features like price, quality, service time, etc. They recommend based on a feeling they leave your business with.

Employee experience influences the customer experience 

To take care of your customers, it is important to take care of your employees first. Customer service is an important part of customer experience and your employees are a part of it. Fast, attentive, and pleasant salespeople always get plus points from the customers.

How salespeople and waitresses communicate with the customer is part of your brand and customer experience. Happy employees are happy to take care of your customers and go the extra mile if needed. Investing in a customer service team might be a smart choice for a company.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why customer service is so important. Happy customers are the lifeline of your business. One of the goals of customer service is to create a positive experience for your customer. It makes your customers feel noticed and valued.

On the other hand, a good customer service increases the revenue and profit of your company. People are willing to pay a bit more to get a better overall experience.

Fast service, loyal customer offers, no mix-ups with orders, smooth payment process – it all influences how a customer leaves your restaurant feeling and do they recommend your business to their friends or not.

Customer service can set you apart from competitors. Having an integrated POS system is a way how to provide better service to your customers. A POS system combines inventory management, a CRM system, seamless payment options, and links waitress app to kitchen display, something that is a very valuable feature for restaurants.

Take a look at the features of a POS system and see how it can help you provide better customer service.

Sources:

(1) https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/publications/documents/time-for-consumer-centred-metrics.pdf

(2) https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/media-centre/2019/middle-east-findings-global-consumer-insights.html

(3) https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/ae/pdf-2020/11/a-different-service-for-a-new-reality.pdf

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