Is Customer Service The New Marketing?

Marketing has been long defined as educating and promoting your products and services to prospects and existing customers. However, in the age of the internet and considering how fast we can access information, this theory is evolving. Word of mouth continues to be the leading source of gaining information on new products and services, and the power of word of mouth is a force to be reckoned with. Influence is the key to marketing in the modern day, and with websites like TripAdvisor, Facebook, Yelp and many more, it is important to recognise just how powerful influence has become when a prospect is considering a purchase.

Providing outstanding customer service is a marketing tool that no budget can buy. It is important to build and nurture your customer services team ensuring that they leave customers wanting to recommend your products and services to their friends and family. Not only that, in the modern day, whether somebody receives excellent or negative customer service, they’re going to d influence others on social media platforms and review sites to either recommend your services or not.

Consumers are increasingly more powerful when it comes to the success of your business, which is why it is imperative to recognise the importance of good customer service. Leaving a bad taste in a customers mouth can lead to a lifetime of bad reviews and a bad reputation, a potential  customer only has to search your business name in social media platforms to see what people think of your products and your service, this will 100% influence their decision to buy from you.

Did you know that you are 60% – 70% more likely to sell to an existing customer as opposed to 5% – 20% of potential customers? This means that your customer service must remain consistent throughout. Whether you think the customer is a sure thing or not, it is important to understand that without your existing customers you would not have any growth as a business, their input is vital to improving and developing already existing products and services. Listening to the existing customer is one of the most valuable marketing tools you can possess.

There are many ways that excellent customer service can have a huge impact on the success of your marketing campaign, and customer experience and reviews should be utilised, good or bad, to help you have a better understanding of your target market and their perspective on your goods or services. As a business you should be constantly developing to benefit the customer and with the right balance, you will in turn, benefit your business.