Inefficient customer service is slowly hurting established companies, giving small businesses opportunity to capture their already irate customers. According to a survey conducted by Hornstein Associates, only one-third responded to email inquiries by customers within 24 hours. Worst, the timely response rate dropped by about 50 percent compared last 2002.

We’re not talking about small companies but the likes of Starbucks, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and Southwest Airlines.

“Common sense says that everybody sends an email to a company at one time or another and that everyone would like a response within 24 hours,” says Scott Hornstein, founder of Hornstein Associates and author of the survey. Hornstein argues that because customer service is such a driver of customer retention today, a response delayed more than a day could spell attrition.

As a small business owners, you have the opportunity and the capability to respond in timely manner to customers’ emails, personalize responses, and attend to their concerns about your products or services. In most cases, it is better to be hated than to be ignored.

Excellent customer service can be your unique selling proposition and it is stronger than any price deals or discounts you can offer. Gauge your response time and if you’re confident about your performance, build up this advantage over competition. Make sure you do not forget to use snail mails to augment your customer service performance.

Via Marketing Idea Blog