• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Submissions
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Apr 14, 2021
  • Startup
    • Creating a Plan
    • Funding a Startup
    • Franchise Center
    • Getting Your Office Ready
    • Making Your Business Official
    • Marketing Your New Business
    • Personal Readiness
  • Run & Grow
    • Customer Service
    • Human Resources
    • Innovation
    • Legal
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
  • Leadership
    • Best Practices
    • Communication
    • Green Initiatives
    • Open Culture
    • Strategic Planning
    • People Skills
  • Sales & Marketing
    • Advertising and Lead Generation
    • Marketing Innovations
    • Marketing Plans
    • Online Marketing
    • Relationships
    • Sales Activities
  • Finance
    • Budgeting and Personal Finance
    • Payments and Collections
    • Tax and Accounting
    • Pricing Strategy
    • Working with Investors
    • Working with Lenders
  • Tech
    • eCommerce
    • Hardware
    • Software
    • Security
    • Tech Reviews
    • Telecom
  • Shop

SmallBizClub

Helping You Succeed

Tax Bandits banner
Home / Run and Grow / Customer Service / Is Customer Service the New Marketing?
Is Customer Service the New Marketing?

Is Customer Service the New Marketing?

1616 Views

Jun 10, 2013 By Shep Hyken

The line between customer service and marketing is becoming blurred, and some companies are even counting customer service as a marketing expense. Although in the past there were definitive marketing and customer service “departments,” it makes sense to acknowledge their relationship and interaction for the overall good of the company.

 
An investment in customer service, and the training to support it, is a profitable investment for a company to make. Funds invested in customer support provide a much larger return. Some companies have really taken this to heart, which has some asking: Is customer service the new marketing?
 
Perhaps “new” marketing gives the wrong impression of what’s really happening. While customer service and marketing are both essential aspects of a business, and always will be, it could be said that they are becoming more integrated. In fact, sales and other departments are also internalizing customer service and realizing that it must be present in every aspect of business interaction—both internal and external. Customer service has expanded beyond a separate department or a call center, and more and more companies are allocating the funds needed to make it part of their culture.
 
An outstanding example of this is Zappos.com, recognized as a customer service role model. It leads the pack in demonstrating that customer service is not a burden or just another expense, but an opportunity to expand marketing efforts through an amazing customer experience. 
 
By providing this level of customer service, they are hoping for two outcomes. First is the loyalty of the customers themselves. Because of the outstanding customer service they receive, they will return again and again, translating that loyalty into more business. And, beyond customer loyalty comes evangelism. Zappos.com hopes to compel customers to evangelize the company, spreading great stories about its customer service. When they make a promise, they keep it—and that keeps customers coming back as well as sharing word-of-mouth marketing. In this way, the commitment to customer service is a direct boost to its marketing efforts.
 
Another company that uses customer service as a major marketing strategy is Ace Hardware. It has found a way to thrive in spite of the fact that it is not only competing with other local hardware stores, but also larger stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot and others. Ace is smart and has figured out how to survive in the era of big box stores. It isn’t by outspending the competition on advertising, or promising the lowest prices. They aim to provide amazing service—the best in the business. And it works! The company is not just surviving—it’s thriving by delivering high-level customer service.
 
The companies mentioned here that strive to provide amazing service receive in return a valuable reward—customer loyalty. The customers keep coming back, and what’s more, they tell others about their experiences. Customer service as a marketing strategy makes sense, so promise and deliver an exceptional experience. It’s one of the best investments you can make.

Filed Under: Customer Service Tagged With: Business Training, Culture, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Marketing, Word of Mouth

Shep Hyken

Shep Hyken

Shep Hyken is a customer experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. Shep works with companies and organizations who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more articles on customer service and business go to http://www.hyken.com.

Related Posts

  • 8 Marketing Hacks Every Startup Should Perfect
  • how-to-make-your-customer-s-first-and-every-brand-experience-amazingDon’t Miss a Chance to Impress Customers
  • The Power Of Role Playing

Primary Sidebar

Random

6 Smart Ways to Nurture High-Quality Leads

Jan 9, 2018 By Vikas Agrawal

5 Business Tools Remote Employees Need to Boost Productivity

Aug 27, 2020 By Christopher Pappas

4 Ways to Boost Your Company’s Growth Through Customer Referrals

Mar 4, 2019 By Parker Davis

“I Want to Start My Own Business, But Don’t Know What Kind of Business to Start!”

Jul 11, 2019 By Rebecca Dunne

Wishing You a Bright & Happy New Year!

Dec 31, 2020 By SmallBizClub.com

Footer

About Us

Small Biz Club is the premier destination for small business owners and entrepreneurs. To succeed in business, you have to constantly learn about new things, evaluate what you’re doing, and look for ways to improve—that’s what we’re here to help you do.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 by Tarkenton Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms | Privacy