Setting up a well-thought-out customer call-back department can dramatically increase just about any business’s sales.
One of the first businesses I coached was a high quality portrait studio. When customers picked up their portraits, they were offered various upsell packages and frames. Some customers did purchase the extras but many didn't because the cost of the basic portraits was so high.
The owner started calling his customers about a month after they took the portraits home. During this call he would ask about the service they received and made sure that they were happy with their purchases. This allowed him to fix any quality problems and keep customer satisfaction high.
He would then ask them if they had framed the portraits yet. Most had not. He then would say, "It is a real shame to hide such a nice portrait of (enter loved one’s name here). I have a great deal on a frame. Are you sure you don't want me to frame it for you? It will look great when I'm done." Many people took advantage of his offer because they felt bad that they hadn't framed the portraits. They also were more likely to buy a frame because now it was a stand-alone purchase rather than an addition to an already large purchase.
To end his call, he would ask for referrals by asking if the customer knew anyone who was getting married, graduating, having a baby, or any other special occasion. Notice he asked for the referral while reminding them of reasons that people get portraits taken. This is much more effective than just asking if they know anyone who might need his services.
Now he didn't stop there! He used to store the prints that customers didn't purchase. He started calling customers about six months after the sale to offer these prints at a deep discount. He explained that he would rather they took the prints so he wouldn’t have to throw them away. Many people accepted the deeply discounted opportunity to buy more prints simply because the cost was low and they couldn’t stand the thought of their loved one’s pictures being destroyed. After the sale he would ask for referrals again.
The result was almost a 50 percent increase in sales with no advertising costs.
Design your customer call-back department so that it:
1) Follows up with every customer to receive feedback about the company's services.
2) Answers any questions customers may have about the product or service they purchased.
3) Offers additional products that complement the original purchase.
4) Asks for referrals.
5) Thanks each customer for their business.
If you have employees make the calls, make sure they are well trained, have good telephone personalities, and are motivated to provide "legendary" customer service. Provide them with a script giving them guidance on how to handle various situations. Finally, establish a system for handling complaints.