How can your company rise above the masses and provide customer service that will not just meet the expectations of your customers but create a loyal following? Here are ten lessons we have learned in our many experiences over the years.

Ten lessons to learn on providing great (not just good) customer service

Lesson #1: Avoid outsourcing and keep it in-house, where you can see it.

Many Web hosting companies today consider outsourcing their customer service operations to regions like India in order to save on their labor costs. However, what often happens is that the cost savings become overshadowed by the many shortcomings of outsourcing. In the long-run, this could end up costing the company much more than it saves, putting a permanent black mark of the company’s reputation that will take years to rehabilitate. Host Gator tried outsourcing for a year, but found that the negatives, such as language and cultural issues, eliminated the “personal touch” critical to gaining a customer’s confidence. And we found that the less than totally proficient customer support representatives just said what they thought the customer wanted to hear. Remote support, just like outsourced support, is also more difficult for the hosting company to control. Workers could be watching TV rather than monitoring systems and the company has no control over it. This lax environment could create a culture of slackers that will affect the level of service your company ultimately delivers (more below).

Lesson #2: The customer is always right.

It’s worth repeating. If a customer asks for a refund, don’t grind them for a dollar. Give it to them even if you believe they are wrong. Getting into a dispute over what a typical refund might cost could end up costing your thousands of dollars in bad publicity if that customer goes and starts posting complaints on the internet. Don’t give customers a reason to leave unhappy. Give them their refund and don’t quarrel with them. At Host Gator, we can’t tell you how many times customers have come back to us after being unhappy over something small. They realized that we did a great job overall, that things are not always perfect and they appreciated us for treating them with respect and honesty. And in the end, they rewarded us for it.

Lesson #3: Keep your staff levels in line with your company’s growth and other contingencies.

Web hosting companies should always monitor their staffing levels as they grow. But hiring adequate staffing levels is just one aspect of the game. Hosting companies also need to be ready for special circumstances. For example, never get caught understaffed when your company decides to launch a major advertising program and is expecting a spike in customer sign-ups. You want to make sure there is someone there to pick up the phone when each and every prospective customer calls to inquire. Just as importantly, have a backup plan for unexpected situations such as sicknesses or family emergencies. Another thing to keep in mind is to adjust your staff levels for peak hours. Know the behavior patterns of your customer base, plan ahead and never leave yourself undermanned. Host Gator gets large call volumes at the open of business, around lunch and towards the end of the work day. Mondays are by far the busiest day of the week and falls off towards the weekend. We plan accordingly.

Lesson #4: Be situated near an abundant labor supply.