Sorry, I can’t help you with that...

We hate the phone company. Maybe that’s a little strong, but it’s true. Every month there’s something wrong with our company billing. And every month we have to get on the phone, ironically, and scramble our way up the various customer service ladders while a big gorilla throws flaming barrels of confusion and frustration our way, like Mario in the old Donkey Kong video game (hopefully some of you got that reference). We’re on the phone for inordinate amounts of time, practically begging for someone who can actually think beyond their automated scripts and take action on our behalf, with usually little or no satisfactory resolution.

It’s one thing when large corporations can afford to offer minimal or marginal customer service, because let’s face it, we don’t have a lot of choice a lot of the time (phone companies are prime examples). And even if we do jump ship, we’re usually jumping into another large faceless corporate “ghost ship.”

But for smaller HR and benefit suppliers, most of us can’t afford to lose one customer, much less hundreds to a competitor. Basic customer service: it’s a big part of what customer retention is all about. Your company may have a designated customer service department, which might consist of a team of many, or one. Or, if you don’t, any one of your staff may come into contact with customers who, God help us, will have questions about your products and services.

Here are some basic customer service rules that we follow at HRmarketer.com:
Remember, handling customers questions or concerns in a timely and friendly manner is vital to the long-term success of your company.

They aren’t a nuisance; they’re your business.