Table of Contents
From Dollar One — Chapter 5: Growing Through Great Service
Growing Through Great Service
You can’t have a business without customers. And offering stellar customer service is one of the best ways to build a customer base — because it’s service that keeps them coming back.
Customer service is the communication you offer over and above your core products and services — the interactions that help ensure customers get what they want. Think of it as a conversation across multiple points of contact (what are sometimes called “touchpoints” in business), which can include social media accounts, emails, phone calls or in person. Keeping the conversation going even after the sale is the secret to great service that wins customers’ hearts, expands your base and builds your business.
“Excellent customer service will keep customers coming back and being loyal,” says customer service expert Brendan Rolfe, Senior Manager, HRNow! Western Canada for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), who spoke with Interac for this chapter. Watch out for more of Brendan’s insights below.
1.Great service: Make it personal
2.Easy checkouts and payments
3.Keep the conversation going to build customer loyalty
1. Great service: Make it personal
Some entrepreneurs worry that they can’t compete with bigger businesses, Brendan says. But he believes being small can be your superpower. “The ‘click now’ world has created a lot of challenges for small businesses,” he says, because owners don’t think they can offer the same level of service and technology-driven convenience.
Actually, there are plenty of ways to level the playing field, starting with the kind of service you can only provide if you’re a small company and you really know your customers. Big companies can struggle to give customers an experience that feels tailored to them. But small businesses often genuinely do know their customers as individuals. Giving them attentive, personalized service is second nature.
“Excellent customer service is the great equalizer for our [small business] members,” Brendan says. “Their competitive advantage.”
Another great equalizer, according to Brendan? Interac payment solutions, which level the playing field by enabling small businesses to offer the same convenient, customer-friendly experiences similar to their largest competitors. (To learn more, see section 2, “Easy checkout and payments,” below.)
Did you know? Many consumers believe smaller businesses deliver better customer service.
According to recent surveys:
- 73% of consumers say small businesses offer better and more personalized customer service than corporations (Source: ZenDesk)
- 73% of Gen Zs and 75% of Millennials say they would shop more at small businesses if they offered similar conveniences as chain stores (GoDaddy)
- During the pandemic, 48% of Canadians surveyed said they’d be willing to wait longer for delivery or pickup in order to support local businesses. Half were willing to pay up to $5 extra for a product from a local business, and 31% would pay up to $10 more to support a local business rather than a major online retailer. (Interac)
Personalized customer service: How to get it right
Personalized service is all about making each customer feel special. You can achieve that by focusing your attention on one person at a time and making sure they’re happy before you move on to the next. Here are some practices that will help you deliver personalized service that can lead to satisfied customers.
Ask customers open-ended questions — and really listen to the answers
Personalized service starts with making sure you understand what a customer really wants. Asking open-ended questions helps you find out. For example, in a store setting, if you ask a customer, “Do you need any help?” they often say no. An open-ended question is one that can’t be answered with just yes or no. It’s a conversation starter. If you say, “What can I help you find?” the customer is more likely to communicate their needs — which can lead to a discussion, a connection between the customer and your business, and a sale.
Be available
When you respond to customer inquiries right away, it shows them that their concerns are one of your biggest priorities. That builds up your image as a business that can be counted on. Also, on a more basic level, you should respond quickly to inquiries and answer phone calls, because you don’t want to lose sales to a business that does reply!
Anticipate customers’ needs
Try to think one step ahead of your customers and realize what they need before they do. This will help them feel appreciated — and regard you as helpful. For example, if you’re a bookkeeper or accountant, remind clients to start organizing their paperwork well before tax time. If you sell a lot of gift items, maybe offer gift wrapping and sell greeting cards. If you’re a retailer and have products arriving soon that might suit a particular customer, why not give them a heads up? The key is to let the customer know you’re thinking about what they want and need, and be ready to provide it.
Find ways to say yes (and calmly)
No customer likes to hear a no. When you can’t fulfill a request exactly as the customer would like, try to think of the next best thing — in other words, focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. And remember that staying calm and level-headed demonstrates your professionalism.
How to avoid negative feedback
There is one drawback to being small: The smaller your business, the more fragile its reputation can be. Every negative comment or feedback online can damage your standing in people’s eyes (whether the criticism is legitimate or not!). That means it’s super important to avoid making missteps, Brendan says. “Your digital reputation is your calling card to the world.”
So remember the three golden rules for avoiding customer service hiccups:
- Politeness is essential for smoothing over any misunderstandings and mistakes. Not only does a calm, friendly and polite atmosphere help de-escalate any tense emotions for your customers, it costs you absolutely nothing to provide it.
- Avoid saying things like, “There’s nothing I can do” or “It’s just our policy.” Check out our Customer Touchpoint Starter Pack downloadable below for ideas for things to say when a customer’s expectations simply can’t be met.
- No matter how riled up you might get when someone posts a negative comment about you or your business, you can’t respond in a way that escalates it to a conflict. Take a quick breath and then consult the Customer Touchpoint Starter Pack to see if we can help you with a response.
Responding to a disappointed customer can become a chance to show people what a responsive, customer-oriented business you are, Brendan says. “In the comments it’s a fabulous opportunity for small business owners to show their professionalism and show that even if the customer is unruly and the complaint’s unwarranted, they’re going to go out of their way to provide that great customer service,” he says. If you show that you’re “trying to make it right no matter what happened, [you can] turn potentially negative interactions into something very beneficial for your business.”
2. Easy checkouts and payments
The actual sale transaction is a great moment for putting your personalized service superpower into practice. Remember that you’re never just making a sale, you’re serving a customer — maybe one who will become a repeat customer.
How can you personalize the experience? One way is by offering the customer their preferred way to pay.
Make your checkout process easy
When it’s time to pay for a purchase, customers appreciate having multiple payment options offered to them. (A sign that says “cash only” doesn’t fly anymore.)
With Interac Debit, you’re giving customers an option that’s quick, secure and popular. And because 95 per cent of Canadians have a debit card, it enables you to cater to the vast majority of customers. Interac Debit is also available through Apple Pay and Google Pay, which is great for customers who prefer to pay with a digital wallet (that’s true of lots of Gen Zs). Some don’t carry a physical wallet at all. (Maybe you don’t either.)
Interac Debit offers advantages for you, too, like more economical costs compared with other payment acceptance types. CFIB distributes signage to small retailers that encourage customers to use cash or Interac Debit when paying, to help keep transaction costs low for its members. (We know Canadians want to support their local businesses, so why be shy about telling them about ways they can do that?)
“As a consumer myself, I always pay with Interac Debit at a small business, knowing that they are charged low transaction fees compared to some other payment methods,” Brendan says, explaining that the economical Interac Debit fees can also help empower businesses to reinvest in their communities across Canada.
Accept Interac Debit payments wherever you go with Tap to Pay on iPhone or Tap to Pay on Android
The ability to accept contactless payments using only your compatible smartphone has arrived in Canada, which means entrepreneurs like you can seamlessly and securely accept in-person contactless payments up to the accepted limit – whether physical cards or digital wallets – no extra terminals or hardware needed.
Tap to Pay on iPhone and Tap to Pay on Android are secure, easy to set up solutions that enable you to accept contactless payments in more places. Your device itself becomes the payment terminal, so you don’t need to invest in or manage additional hardware. That means you can accept Interac Debit payments pretty much wherever you take your phone — everywhere from farmers’ markets to your customers’ homes.
Learn more about Tap to Pay on iPhone and Tap to Pay on Android.
Still dealing with cheques? Offer customers the convenience of Interac e-Transfer
If your business isn’t really focused on online sales, or you don’t have a point-of-sale per se — let’s say you primarily offer big-ticket services like home improvements or consulting — you may find Interac e-Transfer to be the most customer-friendly method for accepting payments.
Here are five ways Interac e-Transfer is better than a cheque for both you and your customers:
- With Interac e-Transfer, there’s no need for customers to get a chequebook out. (Most customers don’t have cheques on hand, and it costs them more to order them).
- If your customers have access to online banking and/or banking apps, they can send you payment using Interac e-Transfer quickly and easily — for example, by using their phone to send you payment as soon as you’ve completed a service.
- Interac e-Transfer offers low or no fees for the customer, depending on their banking account and financial institution.
- When paying by Interac e-Transfer, the customer doesn’t have to keep track of the outgoing payment and hold the balance in their bank, as they might have to do with a cheque.
- And for you, well, when someone pays you by Interac e-Transfer, you get your money in near-real-time, which is better for your cash flow than waiting days for a cheque to clear.
Pro Tip
If you enable Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit, the funds will go directly to your account (following routine fraud checks by your financial institution), without the need to set up a security question and answer with each customer. That makes it easier to collect payments from multiple customers.
3. Keep the conversation going to build customer loyalty
How can small businesses keep customers coming back? By keeping the conversation going after the sale. Create touchpoints — opportunities to communicate with customers — that reinforce the personalized relationship you’re building with them.
Below are some ways that a small business (even a one-person business with a tiny budget) can build customer loyalty. They’re all ways to keep a line of communication to your customers beyond the sale by giving them something of value (whether it’s information, offers, or just personal attention).
Small-scale loyalty-building ideas
Personalized communication
To help solidify your relationship, consider sending loyal customers (and those you would like to be loyal) a birthday note, personal thank-yous, little gifts and surprises, and other appropriate little signs of appreciation. If you plan on reaching out to them by email, be mindful of Canada’s anti-spam legislation.
Simple loyalty and reward programs
Loyalty programs can be complicated or they can be simple. If your business is small, simple is great. For some kinds of businesses all you need are cards that you stamp when a customer makes a purchase, so they can work toward a free bonus. (It’s a good idea if you put ways to reach you on the card, and a QR code leading to your website.)
A VIP club for loyal customers
Another way to entice customers to become loyal is to create an upper service tier for special customers (frequent visitors, for example). Should customers have to pay to join? There’s evidence in favour of that: According to one survey, 60 per cent of customers are more likely to spend money with a brand after joining a paid loyalty program, versus just 30 per cent who spend more after joining a free one.
Launch a newsletter
Are you keen to share your expertise — especially if it helps you grow an audience of potential customers? Whether your specialty is pet grooming or personal finance, you can collect customer emails (being mindful of Canada’s anti-spam legislation [CASL]) and launch a newsletter with helpful and educational content. A regular appearance in your customers’ inboxes will remind them that you’re out there and ready to help with something. Focus on making the content concise — and not too promotional, or you’ll turn off potential readers.
Host customers at special events
Planning an event can be a big lift, but the face-to-face connections you make with customers and potential customers are invaluable, and will help you get to know (and serve) them better.
Community involvement
As a small business you’re sometimes asked about supporting local events and groups, like street festivals, school fun fairs and kids’ sports teams. Saying yes to sponsorships is a great way to give back to the community that makes your business possible — and people will notice the generosity.
Wondering how to kick off your newsletter or blog? Ever find yourself at a loss for words?
From Dollar One’s Customer Touchpoint Starter Pack is full of templates, scripts, thought starters and handy phrases that’ll help you communicate with your customers in ways that build loyalty through:
- Thank-you notes
- Customer feedback
- Blogs and email newsletters
- Social media
- FAQ pages
FREE STARTER PACK
Download our Customer Touchpoint Starter Pack—it’s full of free tools to help you communicate with your customers.
Download it to get started now
And finally, a note about another important consideration for delivering excellent customer service:
Making returns and exchanges easy
No one likes a complicated or strict return process. So make yours as easy as you can, with a transparent, consistent policy.
Returns are easy with Interac Debit — customers get their money back right away, so the return transaction is already complete as they walk out the door.
And if a customer leaves happy after making a return … you may just have made a repeat customer!
This article offers general information only and is not intended as financial, legal or other professional advice. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subject matter discussed. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Interac Corp.
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