An online article from www.theupsell.com
The new QUALITY CHECK – Q&A FOR BUSINESS comes from Zech, manager of European Flooring, the supplier and installer of premium hardwood flooring in Victoria B.C. Check out their thoughts on good customer service:
1) In one or two sentences, define good customer service according to European Flooring?
Good customer service is taking care of the client’s needs in a professional, courteous and knowledgeable manner so that they are happy and satisfied with the floor buying experience. This means starting from the beginning by asking questions, listening to the customer and identifying their needs. We try to educate the client on the differences between the different hardwood flooring options and show the customer the benefits of using our products. This way we can suggest, and hopefully provide them with, the best flooring solution for their project.
2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?
Buying a floor is typically not a quick, five-minute process and in some cases can be an overwhelming experience for the client so we try to take a consultative approach to assist them with their decision. Because of that, it’s essential that a client budget the time necessary to discuss their project and review the best options.
Choosing a floor is an important decision in any renovation since it is the foundation of the job and cannot be easily changed afterwards. Therefore, it is in the client’s interest to allow time to discuss the details of their project and examine the pros and cons of different hardwood floor options. A little extra time spent choosing the right product can pay huge dividends in the look and performance of the floor for many years to come.
3) Can you provide an example of how you turned a bad experience into a good one through customer service?
We recently had a customer who had spent over $60,000 with another company on two hardwood floors that failed and had to be torn out. Because he had bought the flooring from one company and arranged for his own installer, they each pointed to the other for the floor’s failure and the homeowner had no recourse.
When we were called in to help, we completed a thorough on-site inspection that allowed us to identify and address any underlying problems and were able to help the client choose an appropriate engineered hardwood floor for his needs. And because we offer both exceptional products and full installation services, we fully cover all of our flooring installations, meaning the client could rest assured that in unlikely event of a future concern, we would be there to help.