The importance of Delivering Quality Service as a Small Business
Good customer service is fundamental to the success of any small business. In the current economy, it can make all the difference in retaining customers. Economic uncertainty has caused consumer volatility to skyrocket. Tighter budgets mean your customers are being more discerning about where they spend their cash.
Good customer service can be a deciding factor in these decisions. But a recent report from FM Outsource found that many small businesses aren’t delivering in this area. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of customer service in small businesses.
Below we’ll take a look at the key takeaways from the report:
The Importance of Customer Service
We've already emphasized how important quality customer service is, but the report backs this up with data. It reveals that 50% of customers will stop buying from a brand after a poor customer service experience.
Moreover, 82% of respondents said that a positive customer experience can change their opinion of a brand or business for the better, even following a poor buying experience.
Small vs. Large Businesses
The report suggests that small businesses are not living up to customer expectations when compared to larger brands. About 60% of customers think that the customer service provided by small businesses is not on the same level as that provided by large businesses.
The Missed Opportunity
Around 48% of small businesses don’t have any dedicated customer service support. This lack of dedicated support could be a missed opportunity for small businesses to provide a quality and flexible service.
Big businesses definitely have a financial advantage by being able to support dedicated customer service teams. But you could argue, small businesses can deliver a more personalised and human service.
The Need for Improvement
The report reveals that less than half (45%) of small businesses described customer service as a high priority for their business. This indicates a need for improvement in how small businesses perceive and prioritize customer service.
The Role of Outsourcing
The report suggests that outsourcing customer service can be a viable solution for small businesses. It can help them provide professional, reliable customer service without the need for extensive in-house resources.
But even if you don’t outsource your customer service, outsourcing other parts of your day-to-day administration could free up your time to focus on your customers. Whether that be your marketing, HR, DBS Checks, or accounting. These days there’s an outsourcing service for everything.
For SME business leaders, this report serves as a reminder of the critical role of customer service in business success. It emphasizes the need to invest in customer service, whether through dedicated in-house teams or through outsourcing, to meet and exceed customer expectations.
For Personnel Checks, our customer service has always been a defining part of our company culture. Our 5-star If you want to experience a better way of doing background checks, get in touch.