Most owners of independent tanning businesses seem to pride themselves on customer service. But what does that really mean? If you think it’s all about being nice and knowledgeable, your salon is missing some of the components that will make your business sine about its competitors.

While bigger chains offer seemingly unbeatable prices, owner-operated outfits face a fork in the road: Do you try to match them, or go down a different road completely?

Even in an economy of tight purse strings, lowering prices is not always the answer – in fact, it’s never the answer when customer satisfaction is sacrificed as a result. Studies show that consumers are willing to spend an average of 13% more with retailers who provide superior customer service. Why cut your prices when you can raise your revenue another way?

Companies with the best customer service departments don’t just hire friendly people and hope it all works out. They hold employees to explicit standards. Instead of training your staff with suggestions and scenarios about how to treat customers, extend clear expectations for every form of communication. Let them know if they should answer the phone if they are helping a customer. Tell them how long they have to return a voicemail. They need to know when to follow up with a customer if an inquiry remains open.

You may need to establish additional requirements for managers or co-owners – everyone is responsible for providing excellent customer service. What are your guidelines for handling questions and comments on Facebook? Should your managers respond to certain emails with a standard message? All of these issues need to be addressed before you will see your staff achieve your idea of successful customer service.

Click here to read the entire article in Smart Tan Magazine online.