Lab Talk 20 Tips to Improve Your Lab’s Customer Service by Julie Bo’s
- Ask customers how you can improve
- Use technology to your advantage
- Don’t rely on digital communication alone
- Offer a resource for quality concerns
- Set metrics to measure product quality and customer response time
- Speed ordering and tracking with web-based tools.
- Help customers understand your process
- Encourage customers to submit orders throughout the day
- Define expectations
- Provide alternatives when necessary
- Keep you customer service reps well-trained
- Put a smile on your face before answering the phone
- Have regular meetings with your entire lab staff
- Follow up on all customer requests – no matter how small
- Remember, first impressions count
- Listen first, then speak
- Draft customer service standards
- Give more than expected
- Capitalize of the power of “yes”
- Own up to mistakes