Good customer service experiences can result in more business from not just that customer, but also from personal or work contacts with which they share those positive stories. Unfortunately, bad experiences can have just as much of an impact, if not more, especially if they advise friends, family, and co-workers to avoid those products or services.
Small businesses have an opportunity to differentiate themselves by offering great customer service. Relatively small operations can usually respond with greater flexibility and develop deeper personal relationships with repeat customers. But how much do customers care about this? Does the level of customer service small businesses provide help or hurt? Will customers choose smaller providers if they can get better customer service over larger companies with pricing power? What can small businesses do to ensure they are focusing their efforts on the areas that their customers find most valuable?
The following report, The Impact of Customer Service on Small Businesses in the United States, done by Dimensional Research in June of 2019, is based on a survey of over 1000 individuals who have received customer service from a small business within the past two years. Download the report below to find out about the impact of customer service on business outcomes at small companies.
Key findings:
Great customer service can be a clear advantage for small businesses
Customer service directly impacts the long-term revenue of small businesses
Communication channels matter to customers of small businesses