It’s up to you… {Customer Service}

Hello there Indie Fixx readers! How are you doing today? Remember me? I was here a few weeks ago for a round-up on {Creativity} and then to give you some tips on {Time Management}. This is a column specially to give you some hints on to take action, to go from thinking outside of the box to acting outside of the box, just like my friend {Christina} says! That is why from those first stories I drove you through some tips to {better arrange your products to be photographed} and shared with your potential customers. I truly hope that these have helped you so far… because you need to be ready for the next step. Are you ready? Let’s go then!

Today, we will talk about {Customer Service}. Yes, it seems something so simple, right? Someone orders your product, pays for it, you ship it. Pretty simple, I think. No, no, no, no! It’s more than than that. See step by step what I mean.

1. Customer Service begins even before your customer buys something from you.

As a seller you need to be very clear about everything. The materials you are using, the shape, the size, how will you ship your product, when will you ship it. Then you can extra information, like the story behind the product (a few words only!), other sizes available, prices, etc.

2. Someone bought from you! Thank the customer for that!

The so expected moment arrived, someone purchased one of your products. Congratulations! Now it’s up to you again, because having something sold and payment received doesn’t mean it ends there. You need to tell you customer that you received his order and thank for it. If you are on Etsy you have a pre-written message that is sent to customers that buy from you. But if you are not on Etsy, you might want to say something. Just thank the customer for his/her decision and let him/her know when will you ship the order and when you think it will arrive.

3. Let’s prepare the order! Goodies is the name!

Now, I am a seller. I sell photography on {Etsy}. And I don’t ship just fine art prints, but I just sell those. So what do I ship more? Goodies! Yes, I have prepared a few things that customers might appreciate and make it more difficult for them to forget about me. Other than the print, sometimes I send another print in a smaller size. I try to match the print with the one I am offering. Then I also grab a piece of paper, sometimes a handpainted (by me) postcard and write a thank you note, a personal thank you note with the name of the customer written on it. I also send along business cards and a black pencil with {a place for twiggs} written in gold.

4. You want this customer to come back!

So, you need to create all the conditions for that to happen. Be nice through all the way! Yes, it’s an online business, but a smile can be spread throughout several ways, even in a written card. Why don’t you offer your customer for a discount if he comes back? Offer something between 15% to 30% for example. It needs to be something really cool! Give your customer your email, if he wants to ask something.

5. Wrap it up!

After product + goodies + thank you note + discount are all prepared, you need to wrap it. Wrap it in a simple way, or like it was for your mother, but make it beautiful! Customers appreciate receiving orders in the most perfect condition, but they will start smiling even before seeing your product if you wrap it in a beautiful way. Make it a positive experience, starting by the package! Oh and try to protect your product in the best way. Customers want their things to arrive perfectly. They paid for it, so make sure to act professionally!

6. Ship it!

Go to the Post Office and ship it. Ask them when is your order arriving the destination and then go home and write an email to your customers saying that their order has been shipped and that they need to expect a certain number of days for it to arrive. Let them know if things are going to take longer, if you have holidays or strikes in your country, for example. Ask your customer, nicely, to let you know when the order arrives. Let them know it is important for you to have feedback from your customers. Say thank you… again!

7. Control the arrival!

After those expected days for the order to arrive, if you have not received anything from your customer, send an email just asking if everything went ok with the order. Remind your customer that he/she has a discount on the next order, that you are available for more detailed information or any doubts. Be nice and polite. Write with a smile on your face. Say thank you… yes, once more!

8. Extra small things that might also help you in the way to grow your business!

a) Do you have business cards? Write down the address for the shop and blog (if you have one).
b) Create a blog. Having a blog is a great way to promote your products.
c) Create a Newsletter for your shop (Mail Chimp has a free service and asides from cute, it is pretty simple).
d) Ask for permission to use your customer’s email to send the Newsletter! Make sure you don’t send 5 Newsletters per week.
e) Every time you exchange emails with customers, sign with your name and your shop/blog address below.
f) Create a Facebook  fan page! It’s a great way to promote your work and let your fans know about sale season and updates!

And this is it my friends, what do you think? Simple? Believe me, having a great Customer Service helps you on your business. It makes it grow, it makes it go further with your customers, and makes your customers come back! Make it a really positive experience.

Have a great weekend and see you in the next story… about money! We will talk about how to control expenses and everything in between, quite important for your business… and daily life! See you in two weeks!

– Claudia Casal, also known as Twiggs, is an organizational psychologist in love with photography. She is the author of {a place for twiggs} blog. Read more about her on the contributors’ page.