How to keep your customers happy about your product
SmartWorks is a software application, developed by India-based Accord Software & Systems, which allows people in a workgroup to share, track and manage information flow. The product comes with customization features that allow the users to tailor it to their requirements. At the time of its release, Vranda Deshpande was the company’s customer-liaison officer. In her dealings with SmartWorks customers via face-to-face meetings, emails and telephone, she gained several customer-oriented insights that are applicable to any other customer support person no matter what specific product they support. Her observations follow…
1. Have a clear understanding of the specific product you support.
Understand that your customers can get extremely frustrated if they know more about your product or service than you do. Which is why it is important for you to go through all the documentation (data sheets, user guides, demos, tutors etc.) as
thoroughly as possible. You should know your product inside out – its features and functionalities, a working knowledge of the features it lacks or will soon have, any existing problems, and functions it can or cannot provide. If you are new to the product, then make it your business to familiarize yourself thoroughly with it.
2. See your product from your customer’s perspective.
Do you look at problems reported by your customers as ‘problems’? Or do you view them as ‘opportunities’ for improving your product or service in terms of enhanced features, easier usability and better documentation. While some customers might not be smart enough to figure out a feature or problem, Dershpande, from experience, learnt the important lesson “…that customers’ problems are genuine and they have usually not misunderstood the working of the feature… I soon realized how important it was to be in my customer’s shoes when going through their problems. First up, always side with customers when a problem is reported, and not your developers. Even if it ends up being a case of misunderstanding of the working of a feature, it is worthwhile to analyze why the customer did not understand it; then seek to improve the design of that feature. The customer is right always, well… most of the time!”
3. Be aware of your customers’ delights and frustrations.
Most often customers are thrilled by a feature or value-add, which they don’t explicitly pay for, nor was it advertised by the vendor. This could be as simple as a car perfume or a chocolate bar, presented as a token of appreciation by the car dealer when your vehicle is serviced. But it is important that such value-adds or features are discovered by the customers themselves – a pleasant surprise.
So too with a specific product. Are there features or giveaways that can be included to surprise or delight the customer because they are unexpected? Smartworks incorporates such features… and many have been incorporated as a result of off-the-cuff customer feedback or minor irritation over the years.
