What Are the Functions of Customer Service in Marketing?

A company's reputation for delivering great customer service is strongly tied to its marketing message.

Customer service is an integral part of marketing, influencing the way both customers and potential prospects view and judge a company's product or service.

Function

Customer service, either in the form of training, complaint resolution or product repair, is an important marketing tool used to differentiate a company from its competitors. Companies often use positive customer testimonials and case studies to demonstrate the successful implementation or superior quality of their products and services.

Types

Writing a product brochure due to customer demand, organizing a customer appreciation event or developing a website tailored to loyal customers are a few of the ways customer service directs a company's marketing strategy.

Benefits

If a company provides excellent service and ensures customer satisfaction, marketing can use customer praise to generate positive media coverage or attract new customers to increase company sales.

Recent Development

A 2009 Cone Consumer New Media study stated that 89 percent of customers believe companies should be interacting with customers on websites such as Twitter and Facebook. As a result, many marketing departments manage their company's presence on these sites to increase brand awareness and collect valuable customer service feedback.

Expert Insight

Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong, authors of "Principles of Marketing," state that it costs a business five times as much to attract a new customer than it does to retain an existing customer.

References

• KnowThis.com
• Econsultancy Digital Marketers United
• Principles of Marketing; Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong; 2001