Customer Service Week: Do you refer customers to your competitors?
Posted by: in Your BusinessHere at Small Business Boomers we are in the middle of “Customer Service Week.” Everyday I’ve asked a question about dealing with customers.
On Monday, it was about how to handle an irate customer.
On Tuesday, I asked if you would “fire” a customer.
Today’s question: Would you ever refer a potential customer to one of your competitors? I called a landscaper this day to give me an estimate. He said he was too busy, but he gave me the name of another landscaping company. While on the surface this doesn’t make good business sense, on the other hand, why not?
You create potential goodwill with someone like me who might come back to you. If I tell the competitor who referred me (and I did), it creates goodwill between the two companies.
Goodwill isn’t just with customers. Even though it is an important concept in the sale of a business, goodwill can be generated with anyone your company does business with, including vendors and competitors.
What do you think? Would you do this?
Tags: baby boomers, customer service, small businesses
Entries (RSS)