After The Sale — What Really Happens To Customer Service by Anthony J. Urbaniak growing number of organizations are giving increased attention to customer service. Airlines, financial insti- tutions, public utilities, retail stores, restaurants, manu- facturers and wholesalers face the problem of gaining and retaining the patronage of clients and customers. Building partnerships with customers has been given a high priority by successful business enterprises. These companies real- ize keeping a customer happy is a good strategy. To regain a lost customer after poor service can be much more expen- sive than keeping a current customer satisfied. Customer service can be defined as those activities that enhance or facilitate the role and use of the product. In good times and bad, quality customer service builds profits by attracting new accounts and keeping old ones active. The effective salesperson is a vital link between the company and customer in effectiveness of customer service methods. The skills required to service a sale are different from those required prior to the sale. However, high performing sales personnel do not abdicate responsibility for delivery, installation, warranty interpretation or other customer service responsibilities. They continue to maintain a client 14 Copyright © 2001. All rights reserved.relationship with suggestion selling, follow through on promises and follow-up activities. Suggestion selling is an important form of customer service. This is the process of suggesting merchandise or services sold to the customer. The suggestion is made when in the salesperson’s judgment, the added item will provide the customer with additional satisfaction. The salesperson who is genuinely interested in helping customers solve their problems can enhance the relation- ship with suggestion selling. Some of the best ways te engage in suggestion selling follow. Suggest Related Items — In some cases there are related products or services that will add to the customer’s satisfaction. For example, cameras are our main profit center but of course we offer film, cases, tripods, batteries, flash attachments and the like. All with the idea of the customer being completely satisfied with their purchase. Suggest New Items — New preducts and services are being introduced at a record pace. Some are brand new, while others are variations of existing items. Many buyers need help in keeping up with new product introductions. In most cases the salesperson who has already established a relationship with the customer is in the best position to introduce new products, Suggest a Larger Quantity — The customer can benefit in several ways from buying a larger quantity, with economy one of the most common benefits. Many companies offer a discount on large orders. Additionally, sometimes a large order is a good hedge against rising prices. When a salesper- son is sure prices will rise it is a good policy to suggest alarger quantity. Finally, convenience is another value added benefit associated with large orders. The customer is saved the inconvenience of running out of the item at a critical time. Suggest Better-Quality Products — Quality can be described as the degree of excellence inherent within a product or service. Many firms offer the customer a choice of products that vary in terms of quality and price. THE AMERICAN SALESMAN, February 2001 16 Copyright © 2001. Alll rights reserved.The effort to sell better-quality goods is known as “trading up” in the field of selling. It is an important selling method that very often benefits the customer. The higher- priced item may be a better buy when such factors as durability, comfort or trade-in value are considered. Customers will view suggestion selling as a form cf value — added service when it is presented correctly. There is a right way and a wrong way to make suggestions. Here are some guidelines to follow. 1. Pian for suggestion selling during the preapproach step. Before meeting with the customer, develop a suggestion selling pian that includes your objectives for suggestion selling. 2. Make suggestions after you have first satisfied the customer’s prime need. If suggestions are made too early, the customer may become confused or fail to give your proposal full attention. 3. Make the suggestion thoughtful and positive. “A new order of silk scarves has just come in, that would go well with your new outfit. Let me show you the collection.” Avoid questions like, “Anything else?” This question invites a negative response. 4, Show the suggested item if at all possible. Ifyou have suggested a shirt to go with a new suit, allow the customer to sec it next te the suit. Follow Through on Assurances and Promises — A key to an effective customer service strategy is follow- through on assurances and promises that were part of the sales presentation. Every salesperson should become fa- miliar with the most commen postsale problem areas. Identify the leading problem areas in your company, and be aware of possible solutions. Following are some of the most common customer-related problems after the sale. Making credit arrangements —- Salespeople often assist with credit arrangements and provide counsel to prospective customers. Late deliveries — A late delivery can be a problem for both the supplier and the customer. It is the responsibility 16 Copyright © 2001. All rights reserved.of the salesperson to keep the customer informed of any delays. Check to be sure the order was processed correctly. Follow up to see whether the order has been shipped on time. Proper installation — Buyer satisfaction is often re- lated to proper installation of the product. Some salespeople feel it is to their advantage to supervise proper installation. Others make it a practice to follow up on the installation to be sure no problem exiats. Need for Customer Training to Use or Care for the Product — For certain industries it is essential users be well skilled in hew to use the new product. Technology has become so complex many suppliers must provide training as part of the follow-up to ensure customer satisfaction. Customer Follow-Up Methods Customer follow-up methods usually have two major objectives: One to express appreciation for the purchase and enhance the relationship established during the sales pre- sentation and the second to determine whether the customer is satisfied with the purchase. There are four follow-up metheds: 1.) personal visit. 2.) telephone 8.) letter, card or e-mail and 4.) call report. The four methods can be used independently or in combination. Remember, you spent days, weeks, even months getting this customer. You definitely want te keep them as a satisfied account. Hopefully, these ideas on suggestions, follow-through and follow-up will ensure they will continue to purchase in the future. Give them a try. TAS ey Anthony J. Urbaniak is a Professor of Business at Northern State University. He received his doctorate from the University of Minnesota. He is a frequent reviewer for books on selling and is a former salesperson. A TT THE AMERICAN SALESMAN, February 2005 17 Copyright © 2001. All rights reserved.