Customer Service

I often write about customer service from a dealer’s point of view. Today, I will speak about this from the customer’s vantage. Does your customer see you as a friend or as just another merchant?

 

While waiting for the principal of a DME company one afternoon, I witnessed an irate customer complaining to a sales clerk about a product they purchased. The item was not satisfactory and it did not do what they anticipated from the advertising. The sales clerk was adamant. He said they do not guarantee the product and that the customer should contact the manufacturer. The customer felt that the dealer should stand behind all products they sell.

 

How would you have handled this situation?

 

A dealer is not responsible for the manufacturer’s claims, but the dealer has to be sympathetic to the customer. He wants them to come back again.

 

Thinking about the customer, this salesperson then offered to contact the manufacturer on behalf of his customer. He called while his customer waited.

 

Explaining to the person who answered the phone who he is and the name of the company. He said he was calling on behalf of his customer. In that fashion he changed the direction of the customer’s ire. This phone call provided the customer with the directions to return the product.

 

I was impressed by how this clerk handled the situation and congratulated him. The principal said that all of his staff members have the ability to make a decision and he would always back them up. Their object was to maintain the goodwill of the customer.

 

How you look from the customer's perspective is important. Do they see you as just another merchant or are you looked upon as the professional you are? When you have satisfied customers, they spread the word and there is no better advertising then that for your company!

At last year's Fall Medtrade I sat in on seminar about customer service. Several speakers offered that topic and each had a full house. I anticipate you will be able to learn a great deal from seminars such as these at Medtrade in Orlando, October 8-10.