How often do you receive a piece of junk mail with your name spelled incorrectly? Many businesses collect databases covering all of their customers. This is a great idea, but databases need to be managed. There is nothing more irritating than getting the same misspelled junk mail year after year.
A lot of companies have now really started to pour resources into their database management to ensure that the details are kept accurate and up to date. The more accurate your database is, the more beneficial the list will be.
Many small businesses have quite large databases, sometimes consisting of thousands of names. But due to a general lack of time or know-how, the list becomes dated and the business stops using it because they have lost faith in it. You need to allocate time and resources to maintaining and updating any database. If you don't want to do this, don't bother starting one.
I have seen a lot of small businesses really develop well by using their databases: hairdressing salons, restaurants, retailers, accountants, financial advisers and many more. The database can be used to keep their existing customers well informed about new products, services and special offers. As these people are already customers, you have a far greater chance of selling to them.
Customer service is about making your customers feel special. You have taken the time and the money to produce something to send them. Of course you are trying to sell it to them, but good selling skills and customer service go hand in hand. If your databases are inaccurate, you send a completely different message - that the customer isn't important enough for you to take the trouble to spell their name correctly.
Use databases to increase sales and the level of customer service that your business offers, but make sure that you keep them accurate and current.