If you are starting or running any type of business that has clients, one of your main goals needs to be customer satisfaction. A great source of new business is from repeat happy clients and their recommendations. With the rise in social media, everyone has instant access to the web and can check the reviews of a company or service in seconds. Obviously negative reviews can hurt your business and future sales, so keeping clients happy is an essential part of running a business. Luckily this is also the key to reducing stress in your work life. By ensuring that you set accurate expectations and deliver on your promises, not only do you get happy clients, but you get job satisfaction and lower your stress.
Here are tips for reducing work stress
Plan Your Time
By ensuring that you allocate time in your day for tasks and work that you commit to, you can ensure that you only accept work that you can actually complete without rushing. Consider using a time management or planning app or software to help. Say no to taking on additional work, if you do not have the resources in place to do it properly.
Be Honest
Always answer any queries promptly and truthfully. If you cannot answer a query immediately and need time to find out the answer, always give a quick response and set an expectation as to when you will get back to them.
Set accurate expectations about what you are going to do and when they will happen. For example, if you are selling a product that needs to be sent out, confirm to a client that you have their order and when you will be sending out their order.
Keep clients informed
It is important to keep clients fully informed of progress on any work that is being done for them. For example, once an order is dispatched send your clients an update, letting them know which domestic or international courier service you have used when they can expect delivery and their shipment number for their reference.
Thoroughly prepare for all tasks
Ensure that you work out what time and tools are needed to complete a task before you start it and that have
these in place. By doing this you will minimize any unexpected surprises.
Always use positive language and practice clear
communication
This will enable you to communicate clearly and
for your colleague and clients to quickly understand the message you are
explaining. For example, if you are talking to someone about an international luggage
shipping to an overseas destination, ensure the information is clear
and given in the appropriate language.
Do not rush your work
Take time not to rush your interactions. Everyone wants to be treated professionally and if you are offering a professional service take the time that your client deserves, they do not know about the other demands on your time.
Sympathize with your clients
Showing empathy with any complaints or challenges that your clients have with soften their position and make a resolution easier to reach. The old advice of treating people as you would like to be treated is still true.
Make resources available to direct people to with common questions
This will reduce the time you need to spend
answering common queries and can be done by publishing a frequently asked
questions section on your website or blog articles that address common problems.I hope that by incorporating these tips into your working life, you will be able to reduce your stress, increase positivity and get a better working life balance.