| In part 1 we discussed the importance of Post-Sale | | | | the people inside the company who benefit the most |
| Customer Support teams in retaining repeat | | | | from good customer support. They get the credit and |
| customers, and why this is so important. Now let's look | | | | the commission checks for repeat orders. Let the |
| at some practical customer service management tips | | | | sales team know when their high potential customers |
| to help you get the job done. | | | | are having issues, and when you are not getting the |
| What Is the Role of Customer Support | | | | support you need to help them. You can be |
| The customer support team needs to ensure | | | | guaranteed that a commissioned sales rep will not sit |
| customers are happy by representing the customer's | | | | idly by and risk losing a repeat customer. Keep the |
| interests inside the business at time when no one else | | | | sales team in the loop. When things go well, tell them. |
| is motivated to do so. | | | | It's a great opportunity for them to go in and make |
| The customer support team, along with the sales | | | | their next pitch. When problems are brewing, tell them |
| team, represents the customer's interests inside the | | | | that too so they can avoid walking into the lion's den |
| company. The sales team does it to get new | | | | with a new sales pitch, and instead make a timely |
| customers. The support team does it to keep existing | | | | service call to show they care and offer assistance. |
| customers. | | | | The sales team is motivated, influential, and has the |
| The major challenge that customer support teams | | | | most to lose from poor customer service. You already |
| face within most organizations is that it is hard to tie | | | | have the power to help them; use it to help them help |
| specific support activity to a specific amount of | | | | you. |
| revenue dollars. There is always a temptation to ignore | | | | Look for ways to actively help your customers use |
| your existing customers, because they probably won't | | | | the products or services they buy from you. Don't just |
| leave right away. There is always a temptation to | | | | wait for complaints and repair calls to come in. Think of |
| ignore any customer that doesn't have an open order | | | | ways that you could help your customer's use your |
| because as a business you need to raise enough | | | | products. Think about this. If you can help a customer |
| money to pay your bills and your employees in order | | | | use something he or she has already purchased, they |
| to stay in business. | | | | will be much more likely to come back a second time. |
| What Can Support Team Managers Do? | | | | If you can help a customer use up something he or |
| As a Customer Support manager, there are a few | | | | she has already purchased then they will need to |
| things you can do to help your cause. | | | | come back and replenish their stock. Remember that |
| Recognize that fundamentally the Customer Support | | | | customer support is there to help the customer use |
| team is there to ensure repeat orders. Know the | | | | the product or service. Why do you think craft stores |
| repeat order potential of each customer and factor | | | | sponsor craft fairs? Because it helps people use up |
| that into the time, money and priority you give any | | | | their craft supplies, and it also makes them happy. If |
| given customer. Very often a small number of | | | | you can help them use it up, or consume it, then you |
| customers take up a large percentage of the | | | | can rightly claim that you have helped the customer |
| customer support time and budget. Make sure you are | | | | and increased revenue for the business when their |
| not neglecting the high potential customers because | | | | frequency of buying increases. Be creative. |
| you are busy serving the needs of needy customers | | | | Summary |
| with lower potential. I know we like to help everyone, | | | | Fundamentally the role of customer support is to |
| but let's face it you make priority decisions every day | | | | ensure repeat sales. Post-sale customer support |
| on which issues to handle first. Many customer support | | | | teams are a critical cog in the business cycle. They |
| teams have no idea what the repeat order potential of | | | | should be respected. They should be in constant |
| any given customer is. Make sure you know, and | | | | communication with the sales team. They should be |
| make sure that repeat order potential is at least as big | | | | actively looking for ways to help the customer use the |
| a factor in your decisions as how loud the customer is. | | | | products or services they have purchased. |
| Tying action to financials will get the attention and | | | | As a customer service manager one of the best |
| support of upper management. | | | | things you can do for your team is to learn to tie their |
| Get to know the Sales team. In most organizations the | | | | actions to the business financials. That's how decisions |
| sales teams are much more influential than the support | | | | are made at the top. |
| teams, it's just a fact of life. The sales teams are also | | | | |