What to Prioritize Before Sales | The Importance of Customer Service for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Why Local Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Can Possess the Strongest Competitive Advantage
When running a business in a local area, while being chased by daily tasks, there are many situations where you feel that
“customer service is the most troublesome part”
or
“honestly, it doesn't directly lead to sales.”
I myself, having observed the front lines of small and medium-sized local enterprises, have a gut feeling that
many managers and staff view customer service as a “burden” or a “war of attrition.”
As a result,
they want to reduce inquiries as much as possible
they want to avoid dealing with complaints as much as possible
they want to keep business within a familiar, face-to-face circle
and they tend to create a
narrow, small, and closed economic sphere.
I understand this sentiment very well. However, if you stop and think for a moment, you will realize that
a major opportunity lossis lurking here.
Is customer service really a “cost”?
In many companies, customer service (after-sales service) is often treated as a
cost center.
It incurs labor costs
It takes up time
It is difficult to see as sales figures
Looking at the short-term P&L, that is certainly true.
However, in businesses where continuous transactions are a prerequisite, including physical stores, online shops, and subscriptions,
customer service has a completely different meaning.
That is the point that it is a core function that influences LTV (Lifetime Value).
The Essence of Management: “Don't Chase Quantity, Improve Quality”
One of the companies that has embodied this way of thinking in an easy-to-understand manner is Japanet Takata.
Japanet does not blindly increase sales volume or the number of products,
Product selection
Clear explanations
Post-purchase installation, repairs, and inquiry support
—we have thoroughly refined the quality of the post-purchase experience in these areas.
As a result,
“If you buy it there, you’ll be fine”
—this trust itself has become our brand.
This is not a story about flashy marketing. It is the result of
placing customer support at the center of our strategy.
Why is customer support the most difficult area?
The reasons why customer support is difficult are not simple.
1. Resource issues
It is not a matter that can be solved just by increasing staff; the burden intensifies during busy periods or when problems arise.
2. Skill issues
It requires not only product knowledge but also consideration for emotions, judgment, and a sense of responsibility. It is an area that cannot be fully manualized.
3. Corporate culture issues
This is the biggest factor.
Do you view customers as a “nuisance”?
Or do you view them as a “long-term asset”?
This value system is directly reflected in how the staff handles interactions.
The other difficulty hidden behind customer support
Here, I would like to share one of my experiences.
In the field of customer support, there is a problem where
managing the motivation of staff is extremely difficult.
They are prone to bearing the brunt of dissatisfaction and complaints
It is difficult to be evaluated
Results are hard to see in numbers
As a result, a structure tends to emerge where
they are prone to harboring dissatisfaction, which easily leads to turnover
.
In the workplaces I have been involved with, when customer support was isolated as the "tail end of the business," the atmosphere was heavy and there was high staff turnover.
Transforming customer support into an "active business asset"
So, what I did was
create a system to share customer support cases within the company.
What kind of inquiries are coming in
Why did those inquiries occur
What is lacking in the product description
Are there any points that can be improved in the business flow
I did not keep this confined to the customer support department, but instead
product planning
business improvement
FAQ and manual maintenance
to created a flow to provide feedback.
Then,
the work that used to be "complaint handling"
Changing into a 'starting point for improving the business'
The atmosphere in the workplace clearly improved, and
staff retention also began to increase.
Will you treat customer service as
a passive, draining task, or
will you actively leverage it for your business?
I feel that this is the turning point that separates success from stagnation.
Customer service is a company's 'personality'
Customers
remember how they were treated when they were in trouble
more strongly than the fine details of a product's specifications.
They listened to me properly
They made a practical decision rather than just following formalities
They took responsibility until the very end
Even if a problem is not solved,
sincere handling
will not destroy the relationship with the customer.
This experience
has a stronger influence on the next purchase behavior
than advertising or price.
That is why I can say this:
Customer service is not a 'cost center,' but
the source of the strongest competitive advantage.
A strength that only local small and medium-sized enterprises can leverage
Large companies
inevitably have detailed rules and divisions of labor,
creating a structure that makes it difficult to be flexible in customer service.
On the other hand, local small and micro-enterprises have
Fast decision-making
Close proximity between the front lines and management
The ability to easily understand each individual customer
these are the strengths they possess.
In essence, you are in a position where you can easily differentiate yourself through customer service.
Taking a step outside of a closed economic sphere
“It’s a hassle, so I’ll only work with people who understand me.” This mindset is easy in the short term.
However, in the long term,
new customers stop coming
you can only compete on price
your people do not grow
you are likely to fall into these states.
By reframing customer service not as something to “avoid,” but as something to “polish,”
you don’t rely on advertising
you don’t force expansion
and yet you are still chosen
you will move closer to that kind of management.
Conclusion
Customer service is certainly difficult. It has no immediate effect. It is also hard to see in the numbers.
Even so,
only companies that seriously engage with this will remain long, quietly, and strongly
That is what I feel.