Is there a pending Customer Service failure looming on your business horizon? Like the Titanic, is disaster just ahead, hidden and unforeseen? If you are unaware of the following disaster creating actions or worse, you tolerate them, there is a Customer Service Disaster in your future.

Here are three sure fire ways to a Customer Service Disaster:

1. Smoke and Mirrors: You make unrealistic claims in your sales and marketing. You make promises you won’t keep just to get people in the door. No, a new suit won’t get you that promotion no matter how good you look in it. That new electronic gadget will not enhance your life and make you more popular. Reality sets in quickly.
2. Keep it Zipped: Do you notify customers when shipments will be late? If an item they ordered is on back order? The color or size is not available for three weeks? Nobody, especially your customers, wants to be disappointed. When anyone expects their order to arrive on time and be correct your business looses credibility when it fails to deliver. This again is making promises you have no intention of fulfilling.
3. Hear No Evil: When we as consumers are disappointed in a product or service we usually complain. Is your business listening? Failing to quickly respond to complaints, or worse yet ignoring them, sends a message to your customers: You are not important!

Any one of these issues will lead to reduced customer retention and a poor reputation. Two or all three of these actions will probably put you out of business!

Getting new customers is difficult and expensive, keeping existing customers is cheaper and more profitable. Review your marketing, communication and complaint handling to forestall a Customer Service Disaster.

For more information on improving your customer service visit: www.customerserviceimprovement.com