Ready to implement a follow up system that really works? Although you may want to try to streamline your follow up process by only following up with new clients, don’t do it! Your follow up plan isn’t the place to cut corners. You should follow up with all your clients, new and existing. Not sure where to get started? Here’s a simple recipe to follow to get your entire staff on track with the follow up process.
When Should You Follow Up?
Great customer service starts with being timely. It is essential to call for a follow up within 24-48 hours. Make your follow up calls while you’re still fresh in the client’s mind. You’ll get the most useful feedback during this time. During the follow-up call, ask for feedback about their services and service providers.
Who Should Be Following Up?
Training your staff is necessary to keep up with client follow ups. Don’t only train your receptionist – train your specialists as well. These service providers should be following up regularly with their existing clients. You can put a system in place in your booking software or with a paper-based booking system so that each and every client gets a follow up call. Put your front desk staff in charge of checking in that the follow ups are being done, and assign one member of your front desk staff to be in charge of follow up calls to brand new clients.
Make sure everyone on your team understands the goal of the follow up calls. Giving your team the big picture will show them that follow up calls aren’t just a chore but an important part of the growth of your business. This will get them on board and make them excited to make those all important calls. Happy clients mean more business for you!
How Should You Be Following Up?
A big part of effective follow up is knowing what to say on those calls. Team members, especially those not working the front desk, don’t always know what to say to clients on the phone. Giving them a script will build their confidence and teach them to reinforce your brand message while remaining professional.
Don’t just hand over the script and hope for the best! You can use role playing to practice the script. Practice makes perfect! Role play will help your staff adapt the scrip to actual client situations and build their confidence. It will give them a chance to use the script in a comfortable environment before they speak to clients directly.
Having a script will also help you deal professionally with clients who are unhappy. You should set a system in place for dealing with unhappy clients – such as adding a manager or team leader to the call in order to try to resolve the situation for the client.
When you put the effort in, training will make your follow up plan a success. Follow up is a major part of your overall customer service plan, so invest the time and energy to do it right. It will keep your clients coming back and bringing their friends!
