Manar Al Hinai: steps that ensure a good reputation

Companies can promote all they want, give out freebies, and do all sorts of activities to attract customers to try out their products or services, but unless they generate a good word of mouth reputation, all their efforts may well be in vain.

The American business tycoon Warren Buffett once said: “It might take 20 years to build a reputation of a business and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

I, too, have my fair share of good and bad experiences with all sorts of businesses – and like, most other people, share them with family and friends.

Word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing, and the stories we tell can be an advantage or a disadvantage to a particular business. After all, we live in a community where people heavily rely on the recommendations of others.

If I do not recommend a clinic or a beauty centre to a friend, I know she will not try it, and might convince her friends not to do so either. This is how it rolls.

Good customer service is the spine of any business. Companies can promote all they want, give out freebies, and do all sorts of activities to attract customers to try out their products or services, but unless they get the customers to come back again and again, and generate a good word of mouth reputation, all their efforts to prosper may well prove to be in vain.

I believe that a good customer service always puts itself in the customers’ shoes, and treats him or her the way they would want to be treated.

Recently, I went on a mini getaway trip to Sir Bani Yas Island, and the great customer service I had at the resort in south-west Abu Dhabi accentuates how all customer services should operate.

The moment we landed at the island, the resort’s manager was there to personally pick us up and take us to our villa. When we got there, we felt like we were coming home. Not only were the staff extremely friendly, but they also went out of their way to cater to our needs.

I had forgotten to pack my laptop charger, and my laptop was drained. I needed a charger to be able to review some documents.

I called the guest services desk to ask if they had an Apple laptop’s charger lying around. The agent apologetically said that they did not. I said it was fine, and I thought that I might as well use this as an excuse to fully disconnect from work and unwind.

When we came back to the hotel after dinner that night, and walked into the reception, the agent I had called earlier was waiting for us with a charger in hand.

He told us he had asked staff at the hotel if any of them had a charger they could lend me, and had ended up finding one with the restaurant’s manager who was also an Apple user.

To me, that the was the cherry on top of a great weekend I had spent there, and the excellent customer service we received is what made me recommend the place to all my friends and family.

While an exceptional customer service may mean an outstanding personal response to an individual’s concerns, there are three steps that can be taken to retain customers and hopefully produce a good recommendation.

First, set clear policies. Uncertainty results in customers’ dissatisfaction. Make sure that your refund, exchange, and return policies are clear enough for all to understand. Also, ensure they are displayed clearly in your store, or highlighted on your website. Setting out everything clearly from the start should reduce customer dissatisfaction.

Second, ask for customers’ feedback, and actually listen to what they have to say. This can be done through different ways, such as an email survey or a follow-up call. If a customer had a negative feedback, follow up and ask him or her to elaborate on the matter and see how it can be resolved.

You can also follow up with the customers after the problem is fixed and say you are looking forward to hearing their feedback. Do not wait long to get a problem sorted, and make sure to do some damage control before the negative word of mouth spreads. A discount or a gift to a disgruntled customer usually does the trick.

Third, always walk in the customers’ shoes and ensure that they are treated the way you would want to be treated.

With countless product and service providers out there, it is the details and good service that a customer receives that will make them opt for one provider over another.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and fashion designer. Follow her on Twitter @manar_alhinai