Customer service
According to Turban et al. (2002),
Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation.
In short, Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.
Finding new customers is much more expensive than retaining existing ones. Customer service is more than just keeping customers happy. It's about revenue, because a lost customer means lost revenue and an unhappy customer can damage your reputation.
Some aspects of effective customer service are:
- knowing your customers' needs;
- identifying your key service activities;
- delivering superior service;
- follow-up.
In a competitive marketplace it makes sense to aim to provide superior service. Customers base their purchasing decisions on the service they receive, not just price, quality and availability.
