Overview

Business leaders fail to realize the financial effect of dissatisfied customers, costing businesses millions of dollars in profits. A better understanding of the financial relationship between dissatisfied customers, customer retention, and customer satisfaction will improve the performance of the businesses. Sales associates are the first and sometimes the only contact the customer has with the business. Face-to-face interaction is an essential element that continues to repeat in a service environment. The actions and interpersonal skills of the sales associate have an impact on the perception the customer has regarding the business. No sufficient value aligns with the role of the sales associate; consequently, managers have difficulty placing a value on training programs. Leaders need to understand how customer service skills help sales associates bridge the gap between customer dissatisfaction and customer retention.