Print shops are incredible places where your customers can buy a piece of unique art, whether it’s on tee-shirts or it’s a wall print, and have the chance to stand apart. Some want to buy custom pieces, while others want to ask many questions about the process. Unfortunately, that’s a lot of talking about these shops that are often run by less than ten people! If you want to ensure that your customers are getting the full attention they deserve, there are some steps you’ll have to take!
Have A General Questions Sheet
Keeping a FAQ page on your ‘contact us’ page of your website will save both you and the customer’s time. On this page, discuss the questions you receive most often, as well as questions you would like to avoid dealing with.
Make Sure They Get Replies Even if You’re Unavailable
Nothing is more frustrating than sending a business an email and not knowing whether it arrived. Like how you would use your print shop computer software to make prints easier, you should also use software and automated replies to let customers know that you’re out of the office until a designated time.
Reply Quickly Once You Are Available
The moment you can reply, be thorough, and craft a well thought out response to their question or complaint. Be respectful, offer solutions, and try to show that you’re taking what they said seriously. If you’re unable to solve their problem immediately, let them know that you need more time or tools for it, and they should hopefully be willing to understand that.
Don’t Give Away Everything
Customers will try to scam your generosity and get away with free things. Don’t refund items that customers can and will use; instead, give them coupons or store credit. The primary time you should refund is a severe issue with the order, and it’s your fault. Offer first to replace the item, and then if they say no, agree to take their thing back and give them their money. Don’t hold their funds hostage after you’ve received the refund; just get it back to them. People are quick to complain to the Better Business Bureau; don’t let your company get a bad reputation there.
Follow Up On Any Negative Social Media
Although most brands don’t have the time to go around searching their brand name and to respond to negative comments: but as a small business, it’s your job to keep an eye on word of mouth. If someone is ranting about your company online, and it seems like a serious problem, contact them to ask how you can resolve it. Although some customers indeed want to be angry and can’t please everyone, you have to remember that the smaller your business, the easier it is for people to wipe you out. Don’t try to make clap-back posts to try and garner attention: your business doesn’t need that negative type of light on it.
