Customer Service: Know Your Customer

Name: Customer Service: Know Your Customer
Author: John Forsythe

In this course, you will learn the basic foundation of customer service: knowing your customer. Through these lessons, you'll be able to better understand who…

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Course: On-Demand

Let's explore the basic foundation of customer service, knowing your customer. If you can't identify who your customers are, then, you can't understand what they want or how to balance their needs with company goals. As a customer service representative, you need to know which customers seek out particular products and why, who you wanna market to, and what characteristics make up your ideal customers. Some companies make the mistake of trying to appeal to customers that don't fit their intended demographic. For example, if you're selling products for hockey fans, your company shouldn't be trying to sell to basketball fans. Far too often, companies try to sell or market to people who are outside their target market. To avoid this, companies need to gather all the information possible about their existing and potential customers. For example, a company selling shirts can gain valuable insights from not just sizes and styles purchased, but also fabrics, customer demographics, delivery preferences, and order frequency. By striving to learn as much as possible about your customers, you can more accurately assess and effectively serve those needs. As businessman Ross Perot once advised, "Spend a lot of time talking to customers face to face. "You'd be amazed how many companies "don't listen to their customers" As customers, we love it when businesses make an effort to understand our wants and needs. It means that when we walk into a store, or log onto a website, we feel welcome and appreciated. Not only do these businesses have products we're looking for at the right prices, but also, they know how to assist us, what to suggest and when. By providing quality and personalized service, these companies make us wanna spend our money with them and enhance the possibility of repeat business. What about customers that aren't the right fit for a given business? Are there people who simply shouldn't walk into a particular store or shouldn't visit a company's website? The answer to this question is yes. For example, if a customer has a budget of $100 and a company only has products that cost $1,000 or more, it's not a good customer-company match. The reverse is also true. If a customer plans to spend $1,000, they probably wouldn't shop at a store where the most expensive items are $100 or less. This price customer disparity isn't just price related, though. A customer may be too old or too young for a company's products. A company could be selling a new cutting edge product but have someone walk in who will only buy an item when it has been recommended by thousands of happy customers and positive reviews. So, why not try to cater to everyone? Aren't there products that should be marketable to everyone like water, flour, or rice? The answer is not so cut and dried. Multiple companies sell water in different brands containers, sizes, styles, and flavorings. According to Water Policy International, a UK-based water management consultancy, there are over 80 brands of bottled water in the United States alone. The same can be said for flour, sugar, and rice. Even the most basic of products are targeted to specific customers with different needs, intended uses, and price points.

Beginner Provider : John Forsythe 3 Lessons · 9m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

In this course, you will learn the basic foundation of customer service: knowing your customer. Through these lessons, you'll be able to better understand who your customers are, what they want, and how to balance their needs with your business' goals. You will also learn how data gathering and analysis to identify customer tendencies and preferences in order to service their needs more effectively.

What You'll Learn

Identify who your customers are and what they want
Improve your understanding of customer preferences
Differentiate between historical and research-based forecasting
Use data gathering and analysis to identify customer tendencies and preferences
Prioritize customer service needs while meeting business goals
Balance customer needs with company goals

Key Takeaways

Knowing your customer is the basic foundation of customer service.
Understanding who your customers are and what they want helps you service their needs more effectively.
Data gathering and analysis can be used to identify customer tendencies and preferences.
Forecasting can be approached through historical and research-based methods.
Customer service needs must be balanced and prioritized alongside the business's goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn the basic foundation of customer service: knowing your customer. The course helps you understand who your customers are, what they want, and how to balance their needs with your business's goals, as well as how to use data gathering and analysis to identify customer tendencies and preferences.

What topics does this course cover?

The course covers who your customer is, understanding customer needs, and balancing customer needs with company goals.

What are the learning objectives of this course?

The objectives are to improve your understanding of customer preferences, differentiate between historical and research-based forecasting, and prioritize customer service needs while meeting business goals.

How does this course help me serve customers more effectively?

It teaches you to use data gathering and analysis to identify customer tendencies and preferences so you can service their needs more effectively.