Loyalty Leader Quick Tips

Customer retention is the lifeblood of any successful sales operation. It takes trust. That’s why every salesperson needs to build relationships with employees throughout the organization, especially those in the customer service department.

The most important aspect of sales is getting the customer. The most important aspect of service is keeping the customer. Both impact the bottom line. Customer trust is essential to generate repeat business. But trust will erode if your customers hear one message from a sales representative and a conflicting message from a customer service representative.

Nothing is worse for a sales rep than a customer service rep denying a promised service to the customer. Nothing is worse for a customer service rep than a customer making a demand that requires breaking the rules, only to discover that a sales rep had promised it would get done. The worst scenario is when a customer gets caught between the promises of sales and the rules of service.

Customer loyalty increases when employees in sales and service present a united front to customers. Employees in both departments experience the highest levels of customer contact in the company. Therefore, the quality of communication between the two departments can significantly increase or decrease customer loyalty.

Schedule a monthly meeting to open the lines of communication between employees in these departments. If everyone can’t attend, assign a liaison from each area who can report on behalf of their team.

Sales representatives need to communicate frequently and openly with customer service employees. For example, they need to inform customer service employees about any promises made to the customer. In addition, customer service representatives need to give ongoing feedback to sales team members to alert them about situations that may increase customer complaints or enhance customer satisfaction.

• Sales topics should include information about special promotions, new customer profiles, and any other sales activities that may impact the service department.
• Customer service topics should include frequent requests, complaint trends, and new policies that may impact sales promises.

Open communication between the sales and customer service teams will allow everyone to do what’s best for the customer without compromising integrity.