Did you miss out on our latest Growth Lab Sunderland event, focusing on customer service? Fear not!
Co-hosts BIC Business Advisers Debbie Simpson and John Forth have pulled together their key takeaways from the wealth of advice and anecdotes shared by our esteemed panel.
We could have filled the Hayloft at Sheepfolds three times over with the demand for spaces for this one. The importance of customer service is a topic no business can afford to ignore and our panel are living proof of how getting it right is dynamite for business growth.
We’ve picked out six standout points discussed at the event, and explain why these will resonate so hard with the Sunderland businesses we work with.
The panel
- Dame Irene Hays, Owner, Director & Chair of Hays Travel
- Jon Malton, Former MD of Ringtons & Founder of Lighthouse Business Club
- Natasha McDonough, Founder & CEO of MMC
- Ted Stone, CEO of Customer First UK
Top takeaway: Consistency in customer experience pays off
Picked by John
“I was blown away by some statistics Irene Hays shared with us. Prior to the advent of social media, a customer of Hay’s Travel who hadn’t enjoyed their holiday would tell on average eight people. Now, there are 2,800 touchpoints for a complaint. People really hear about it when they’ve not had a good experience and that’s obviously not good for business. We’ve all got to up our game. Customers are so much more likely to say when something is bad than when it’s good. Satisfied isn’t good enough, customer service has got to be sensational to stand out. And when it is, people shout about it.”
Top takeaway: Build the relationship not the sale
Picked by John
“People buy from people. It sounds obvious but it’s a golden nugget to remember. We only buy from people we feel we know, like and trust. Customers will only believe you once – if you’re not honest and deliver what you’ve promised then they won’t return. Customers can see through the BS, especially on social media, so be real. Being unashamedly yourself helps you stand out as a small business so really embrace who you are. Be more you. I think this is a magic message for anyone who struggles with the idea of being too salesy. If you focus on building a sincere relationship, the rest will come.
Top takeaway: It costs one twelfth to look after a returning customer than it costs to acquire a new one
Picked by Debbie
“This was another figure from Irene that really illuminates how taking care of existing customers is a no-brainer when it comes to budgets. The truth is, we are all customer service companies, specialising in whatever we do or sell. Customer service lies at the heart of every single business and it can be your differentiator. Try to treat every customer as though they were your first. It’s easy to lose sight of the value of customers as you get more established but if you treat each one like a king then that approach becomes embedded.”
Top takeaway: Kindness and empathy strengthen businesses from the inside out
Picked by Debbie
“Natasha McDonough highlighted the importance of showing kindness and empathy to staff as well as customers. How well we treat our own people in business is just as important as how we treat customers. After all, how can you expect your team to go out there and treat customers well if you’re not leading by example? I’ve started to notice much more kindness, acceptance and vulnerability in the business world. There’s a new flavour coming through of people who are powerful and clever yet warm, friendly and generous. Stuffiness in business is gone. You can have fun and make friendships. People aren’t squaring up in competition, they’re collaborating and finding ways to build community.”
Top takeaway: Drill down your USP and then market the life out of it!
Picked by John
“Knowing and understanding your unique selling point is fundamental. If you don’t know why people should come to you, how can you convince them to? The reasons don’t have to be rocket science – it might be something simple like you’re really friendly and can signpost people for help, even if you can’t help them yourself. Once you know that, you can build everything around it so you stand out from your competition. Jon Malton’s experience of building Rington’s around providing a few minutes of magic on the doorstep for customers demonstrated the power of personal interactions. He transformed the business from a place of stagnancy by instilling the importance of treating every customer with the same level of care you’d show your grandma. That’s what makes Rington’s really stand out and the same principle can be applied to all businesses.”
Top takeaway: Don’t be afraid of AI – it’s just computer stuff!
Picked by Debbie
“Computer stuff can never replace human stuff. That’s why we need to focus our energy on what differentiates us from AI. Be mindful of opportunities to use AI but still invest in recruiting and training teams based on the fundamentals.”
There is already huge demand for our next Growth Lab Sunderland events, so be sure to register early! Click here to register.
Growth Lab events are fully funded by the BIC’s Enterprising Sunderland programme. Enterprising Sunderland is the overarching title for this business support programme and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Delivered by a unique consortium of delivery partners in Sunderland working together to stimulate entrepreneurial ambition across the city.