4 Reasons Customer Service Still Matters

Here are some vital things you can do to turn the tide

Make sure service is good because good means more people will buy your products or come to your establishment.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to a local restaurant in our area because we not only had liked the food the few times we went in the past,  but it was a Latino-owned establishment and we like to walk our talk…support our own in action not words so we can keep them going strong and growing in our community.

The mofongo was a good as we remembered but the waitress was horrible. She seemed bothered that we asked for red sauce not clear sauce for our dish, she didn’t even ask if she could bring us water, we didn’t remember we needed to have it until we were almost chocking on our food.

When we realized, we asked, and again she seemed bothered to have to appease our request. When she came with the sauce it was the wrong one and wanted to fight with us that “they don’t do red sauce” although we have ordered it before and when she brought us water, it was only one bottle as if my husband and I asked to share. It was truly sad.

That one waitress was giving the restaurant brand a bad name.

So therein lies the lesson, customer service still matters. Even if you are a Latino-owned establishment and Latino anything is obviously popular right now, it doesn’t mean you should forgo customer service training for your team and it does mean, hire the right people for the team the first time!

As Latino-owned businesses regardless of your product, you need to show that customers matter and nothing shows that best than stellar customer service. In addition, Latino-owned businesses should not prove Latino stereotypes true.

They should be working to prove that excellence is excellence no matter who is providing what!

Customer service still matters because:

    1.  People Remember Bad Service.

When people experience bad service, they usually will remember it enough not to give the company a second shot! Do you really have the luxury to lose customers in this competitive marketplace.

     2.  It Makes Your Business Look Bad.

Even if the owner is not the one that provided the bad service, every person on your team represents the company to the customer. Someone hired the individual (s) and thought they were a good match for the company. So the message a customer gets is either “this company cares about its customers” or they don’t.

     3.  It Brings the “You Care” Message to Life.

When customers have a first rate experience they can’t help to receive the subliminal message that you have taken the time to train your team in what is important to you.

      4.  It Gives People A Good Reason to Talk About You.

People will talk about you anyway. Make sure it’s good because good means more people will buy your products or come to your establishment. Bad means they will cross you off the “must check out” list or never put you on that list to begin with.

I tell my students in business entrepreneurship courses that book knowledge is nothing if it never leaves the classroom and becomes lived knowledge.

Perhaps you are a Latino business owner and have already received notice from customers or employees that something is amiss in your establishment; or maybe you’ve never made it a point to evaluate.

Here are some things you can do to turn the tide:

     A.  Give customers a way to give you feedback fast. 

Do you have a way for customers to tell you about their experience? Perhaps an app with a “tell us about your experience today?” and built in loyalty points for a % off next visit, an incentive program that rewards those who give you feedback?

     B.  Reward the employees that are exemplifying what you want to see in your company. 

What gets rewarded gets repeated. An atta boy or atta girl only goes so far.

Can you give the employees who showcase the values of your customer service pillars best some comp time, a higher discount on goods, dinner for two on you?

      C.  Make customer service training a part of your organizational culture. 

New hires as well as those who have been in your company for a few years should be trained continually, perhaps new hire orientation and once a year team gatherings.

Training should not only on the service you wish to see but on how great customer service builds a business and thus increase jobs and promotions. Show them how it is a win/win for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to customer service.

The single most important focus of your Latino-owned business is to deliver an amazing experience for your customer. That’s it. There is nothing else more important than making sure every memory of you by your customer is one of delight.

If you don’t deliver on that, you might not be in business long even if you had the initial support of the Latino community.  I know I won’t be returning to that restaurant and I don’t even think they care. Yes, customer service STILL MATTERS!

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Rethinking Customer Engagement