Imagine that a customer wants to return a dress to your store that she wore and ripped. You’re reluctant to take back such an expensive piece. But your supervisor tells you her loyalty is worth much more. You do it anyway. That clerk was Stanley Marcus, of Nieman Marcus. And he said that woman would later spend $500,000 in the store. He recognized that Neiman Marcus never had a good sale unless it’s a good buy for the customer. He built an empire based on devotion to customer service.
Why focus on customer service?
We are all in customer service. Delivering incredible experiences to customers inside and outside our organizations is an essential element of a good business. Companies that focus on customer service grow revenues by four to eight percent above competitors. Customers will pay 17% more for business with companies with an excellent reputation. Once a customer has a positive experience, 52% of them will make an additional purchase. The real value is the client base that can give you their loyalty.
