Small Business and Customer Service

Recently while at a local coffee shop I began contemplating customer service due to the bad service I was receiving - actually it started with anger, but eventually that turned into contemplation! Specifically, how can small local stores offer worse service than a large corporate conglomerate would offer?  Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?  I thought corporate America did not care, and that local small business was there for us the consumer?  So how is it that many of these large companies provide better service than our mom and pop stores? 

After much pondering I concluded that the key is training.  The larger companies have an entire staff dedicated to training and customer service.  When a new employee starts they do more than just toss them in.  They get more training than here is the register call if you need anything.  Now don't get me wrong having a training program does not eliminate the chances that a store will have bad customer service, but it does give them a leg up, a better chance to make it!  So how do small businesses compete?  I recommend starting with three areas: procedure manuals, staff training, and empowering your employees. 

Procedure manual?  Why should you take the time, which I don't have, to write a procedure manual?  A procedure manual is a great way to ensure that the way you want your business run is somewhere other than your head and is available to your staff.  Then if you are not around they can refer to it if they have questions.  In addition it enables you to walk through all the what ifs that can occur in your business, forces you to think about what exactly you want your business to be and how it is going to get there and makes your business run smoother because everything is mapped out.  Training will be based on your procedure manual.  It gives your employees a sense that they have the knowledge and skills to do their job right!

Don't let your training end at their first week of work!  The second item I recommend is training - all the time!  If you continually provide them with extra skills, such as customer service classes, leadership classes, or even history classes on your industry!  Not only will they provide better service, but they will feel you are more committed to them and their success.  The extra costs will be more than made up in lower employee turnover and happier customers.  Most companies do not provide their employees with the skills to succeed,  make sure you are a step ahead!

Finally, empower your employees to solve problems and make customers happy.  Not every situation you will be able to put into your manual or will your staff take the time to learn about every issue that might occur.  So instead, include in your procedures manual a clause about minor adjustments, set a limit on cost, to make customers happy.  If your policy is to serve a drink in x cup and the customers wants y cup, let your employees make that adjustment.  You will have happy customers and employees because problems can be solved without you!

Don't feel overwhelmed by how long implementing all this will take.  It will not happen overnight, but start working on it and you will be amazed at the results!  Set aside 30 minutes a day to write and develop your programs.  Find templates you can adapt, send your employees to already established training seminars.  The most important thing is to just get started.  Your business will thank you!