Excellent Customer Service for Sign Shops

Think about what makes you desire to return to a restaurant for a relaxing dinner? Is it the food? Is it the decor? Is it the attitude and attentiveness of the hostess and servers? The time you waited to be seated and to have your meal? Is it the presentation of the food? The cost of your meal? Is it all of the above?

When the entire experience at a restaurant is exceptional, you will return and also talk about it with others. The same is true at your sign shop.

Overlooking customer care happens too often in businesses of all types. It is important to take a step back and review what areas of your business offer excellent customer care and which areas need improvement.

Nurturing your current customers takes thought, and purposeful effort, This effort can bring repeat business. Follow these tips to step up your customer care routines:

1. First impressions matter. Communicate in a welcoming and upbeat manner. Have an inviting entrance and waiting room.
2. Detailed notes. Take lots of notes while talking with your customers. You can later impress customers when you repeat their preferences or something they told you. You can add all notes in shopVOX for easy access for anyone that is working with customers.
3. Follow up. After sending out a quote, follow up to see if they have any questions.
4. Educate. Custom signage is an important investment for your customers. Take time to educate them about your products, materials, warranties, and so on.
5. Invoice immediately. Make sure your invoice is clear and concise. This builds trust.
6. Offer project updates. Customers appreciate knowing the status of their projects. It's exciting to have custom products made and knowing when they will be completed.
7. Express appreciation. A thank you note only takes a couple of minutes but helps a customer feel valued. You can send thank you note via shopVOX or mail one through the post office.
8. Continue communication. Adding customers to an email newsletter is an easy way to stay in front of your customers without being aggressive.

Shep Hyken said, “The key is when a customer walks away, thinking ‘Wow, I love doing business with them, and I want to tell others about the experience.'”

When you take these steps you demonstrate that you care about your customers. When customers feel cared about, they tend to bring repeat business and tell others about you.