For many customer service teams, the approach is to always respond when an issue arises. But to truly become a dealership that out-supports your competition, your customer service mindset must shift from a reactive to proactive approach. By becoming proactive, your dealership will be able to delight your customers instead of just satisfying them. Here are 4 tips to creating a proactive customer service team.

1. Seek Feedback. Being able to give customers what they want means you have to know what they want. Regularly check in with customers to make sure you are identifying and correcting any issues before they become a bigger problem. Send out regular surveys, ask for suggestions, or have follow-up calls after a sale. All of these things will keep you ahead of the game when it comes to pleasing your customers, as you will be able to identify your weaknesses and make changes before customers become upset.

2. Admit to your mistakes. Instead of waiting for customers to find out something about your product or service doesn’t meet their expectations, address it yourself first. Identifying any problems head-on builds trust with customers, as it shows you aren’t afraid to admit when something is wrong. It also helps to avoid any PR nightmares, such as customers heading to social media to voice their frustration. Address the mistake with an apology, offer a solution (such as a discount, refund, or a plan), and let them know that they can always contact you for further questions.

3. Have a FAQ page. Many customers prefer to find answers to their questions on their own instead of calling or emailing. If you have the answers they are looking for, they are more likely to be satisfied with your dealership. Consider having a FAQ page on your website that addresses questions such as: Do I need a skid-steer or mini-excavator? What attachment is right for my job? How often does a  ___ need maintenance services? You can even expand on these topics through social media and blogging, creating even more content to satisfy customers!

4. Invest in Live Chat. According to a Forrester Survey, 44% of people believe that the ability to get answers quickly from a live chat representative is “one of the most important features a website can offer.” Offering chat prevents customers from digging through your website to find their answers or contact information. It also gives you a chance to uncover opportunities to improve on your website content. For example, if you are constantly getting support questions about your 24hr maintenance offering, you may want to beef up that section of your website. If you want more information about our live chat offering, reach out to us at marketing@commercialwebservices.com.

By becoming proactive, you can solve problems before a customer even called, or even better, address issues they didn’t even know existed. Being proactive has huge advantages for your dealership as well. By addressing needs sooner, many businesses found that the volume of support calls were reduced and customer retention increased. So why not take these 4 easy steps to please your customers, reduce the amount of time spent answering support questions, and increase your customer loyalty? Seems like a win-win to us!