AFTER-SALES SERVICES/ FOLLOW UP IN PERSONAL SELLING

TORAN LAL VERMA
  • Post-purchase follow up is important in building customer confidence and long-term relationship with the company.
  • The moment the salesman closes the sale; he should not think that relationship is closed. Rather a close is just the beginning of such relationship.
  • The salesperson contacts the customer to learn if there are any problems and answers any questions that the customer does.
  • He also contacts customers regularly to ascertain that they are happy with their purchase and offered services

IMPORTANCE OF AFTER-SALES SERVICE

  1. Keeps the customers satisfied: This helps in keeping the customers satisfied. It promotes proper communication of customer’s needs and wants to the product or service provider. This helps the organizations identify what their customers want and expect from them. Thus, they can offer their customers desired products that will satisfy their needs.
  2. Gaining customer loyalty: When customers make repeat purchases of products or services from a company, it shows loyalty towards the organization. This happens when a product or a service delivers the consistent value of the money spent by the customers.
  3. Reduces the cost of luring new customers: The cost of gaining new customers is far higher than retaining the old ones. Good customer service from a company helps to retain old satisfied customers, thus reducing the cost of attracting new ones.
  4. Helps to beat competitors: Organizations that provide excellent after-sales services outperform competitors and become leaders in the industry. Even if such a company offers services and products at little higher rates, customers prefer purchasing it from them. As excellent after-sales service is one of the most important factors determining sales.
  5. Helps in receiving feedback: Customer service representative directly chats to the customers and listens to all the positives and negatives expressed by them. This helps the company to receive invaluable feedback, which they would otherwise never receive.

STEPS IN AFTER SALES SERVICE TECHNIQUES

  1. Connect with the customers: Sales professionals need to remain in touch with the customers even after the deal. They should not ignore their calls. They ought to call them once in a while to exchange pleasantries.
  2. Provide necessary Support: The sales personnel can help them install, maintain or operate a particular product. For example, Sales professionals selling laptops must ensure windows are configured in the system and customers are able to use the Internet without any difficulty.
  3. Replacement of the product: Any product found broken or in a damaged condition must be replaced immediately by the sales professional. Their grievances should be addressed and make them feel comfortable.
  4. Frequent Feedback: Feedback of the products and services from the customers should be taken periodically. It helps the organization to know the customers better and incorporate the necessary changes for better customer satisfaction.
  5. Annual Maintenance Cost: AMC is an agreement signed between the
    organization and the customer where the organization promises to provide after-sales services to the second party for a certain duration at nominal costs.
  6. Exchange Policies: The exchange policies must be transparent and in favour of the customer. The customer who comes for an exchange should be given the same treatment as was given to him when he came for the first time.
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