How To Offer Great Customer Service as a Business of One Person
If you run your own business, you know what it’s like to wear all the hats. From product development to marketing and sales, there are so many things you have to manage yourself.
The thing is, you also need to offer stellar customer service. But how do you keep up with your other to-dos while giving customers a great experience? Running a business of one is far from easy, but you can try these 4 hacks to up your customer service game when you’re flying solo.
1. Set expectations with email auto-responders
While an automatic email response won’t replace real customer service, it can certainly help you set expectations. A simple auto-response lets your customers know that you received their email and you’ll respond to them soon. This is awesome for customers because they know what to expect, but it also gives you time to play catch up with your inbox.
2: Use a free chatbot
Adding a chatbot to your website can also automate customer service. It’s like having another team member to guide your customers through offers and answer some of their questions. With free chatbots like Drift, you can quickly answer customers’ questions without the hassle of a phone call. Some smart chatbots can even automatically answer questions and answer leads for you!
Your customers feel taken care of even when they don’t speak directly to you. Drift’s smart chat boxes can answer FAQs and even capture leads for you.
3: Get a VA to manage email
If you’ve got more emails coming in than you can handle, outsource email management to a virtual assistant. A VA can lower your stress and help you send better, faster responses to your customers. Sure, it’s an expense, but it’s a pretty good tradeoff for a better customer experience.
4: Use a CRM
Staying organized is always important, but as a team of one, you have to be extra careful not to drop the ball. When you’re trying to juggle a hefty client load, a free CRM can help you stay organized. Use your CRM to store customer contact info, track your to-dos, and remember to follow up with engaged customers.
Leaving a good impression
Plenty of factors play into customer loyalty, but a customer won’t forget a bad experience. You’re running a thriving business on your own, but that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice customer experience for your other priorities. With a few adjustments and some handy tools, you’ll be prepared to handle anything!