If you have recently launched your startup, you are probably snowed under with a wealth of tasks that you never anticipated. From sourcing funding to maintaining cash flow, and from social media management to digital marketing, you now have to morph from a specialist professional to an entrepreneurial Jack of all trades.

If you are entering a sector that is highly competitive, you need to consider what can set you apart from your already well established industry rivals. Take a look at why customer service could have you head and shoulders above your competitors.

Under Promise and over Deliver

If you are something of an online shopper, you know the importance of experiencing great customer service. There’s nothing worse than forking out for express delivery only for your much needed product to end up on your doorstep three days late. Poor customer service will result in you never ordering from a company again. If you are shipping items to customers, you need to make sure that you under promise and over deliver. If you know that you can dispatch a product and have it delivered within forty eight hours, ensure that you state that you’ll deliver it in seventy two. This way, the customer that has entrusted you with a service or product, is content and happy with your company seemingly going the extra mile.

Online Reviews

In the twenty first century, every business needs to hone a superior online presence to ensure that they are visible and that their brand is exposed globally. As well as your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds, your potential customer base will be checking out your online reviews. This is where a strong reputation management services company can be useful to help you leapfrog your rivals. These specialists will run a report, analysing your negative and positive reviews. They can then drill down into how possible it is to remove negative feedback. This can enable your online reputation to be enhanced, driving more sales and increasing profits for your business.

Longevity

Reviews make or break a business. With so much now in the public domain, you can head to Google and search for a company, and a whole host of reviews will pop up. It doesn’t matter how much you undercut your more established rivals with excellent reputations, if your feedback is negative, you will not make sales. The key to longevity is establishing an excellent reputation that sees you with five star feedback and great comments. Foster this through an exceptional customer experience, communicating with your market and responding promptly to queries and questions.

If you do receive a complaint, deal with it swiftly and don’t be afraid to say sorry. Mistakes happen and customers appreciate a speedy resolution and compensation should any complaint be warranted. It’s how you deal with a problem rather than not having any problems at all that counts.

Being an entrepreneur is tough with a whole host of new business functions that fall into your remit. However, focus on customer service and you can help your startup go from strength to strength.