Many businesses still regard customer service as an expense and not as an investment. The true cost of poor customer service or lack of it is not measured in Euros, but in the success or the failure of the entire enterprise. It really is that important. In fact, we would go as far to say without good customer service, the business would be lucky to survive.
To qualify that, let's look at four reasons why customer service is more important than ever.

We remember bad service

Bad news sells because we tend to react to the negative more than the positive. If a customer has twenty dealings with your customer service team and only one of them is negative, it is that one they will remember, not the nineteen positive ones. It's just the way our minds work.
Offer truly great customer service and you may be remembered for the right reasons.

Power is now with the customer

The rise of social media and social proof has shifted the power balance in favour of the customer. Review websites, social networks, feedback forums and the inclusion of feedback in awards and performance metrics has a huge impact on how a business is perceived.
Offer great customer service and you get good reviews even if something goes wrong. Do not underestimate the power of social proof!

A happy customer is free advertising

Offer great service to someone and they spread the word about your business for free. Offer bad service and they will do the same but for all the wrong reasons. Social media, talking to friends, and colleagues and offering recommendations are all ways a happy customer can work in your favour.
Word of mouth is one of the most potent advertising tools there is. Handle customers well and it can take on a life of its own.

It's cheaper to sell to an existing customer than a new one

It isn't only cheaper to sell to an existing customer, it's faster too. There's no need for the usual process of multiple contacts as they already have a positive attitude towards the company.
Continue offering quality products and good customer service and you could have a customer for life.

Those are just four of the many reasons good customer service is more important than ever. Unhappy customers have more ways than ever to spread the bad news and their audience can be counted in the millions. No business can afford to have that many people think bad of their organisation. Good customer service takes relatively little investment or effort, yet can yield huge returns. That's an idea any business can get behind!