Do the words “customer service” make you cringe? Most farriers probably associate the term with a bad customer experience. 

Here are some tips from farriers on how they keep their customers happy without overdoing it.  

Being Responsible

Customer service should be your top priority, says farrier Kenneth Stanfield, of Metter, Ga. “It can make or break your business,” he says. 

Prior to his career as a farrier, Stanfield worked as a prison corrections officer and rode horses for pleasure. So, now that he’s evolved from a farrier’s customer to the farrier serving the customer, he says, “Finding a farrier who is responsible is a big issue for horse owners.” 

To earn his clients’ trust and respect, Stanfield makes a point to remember the little things. “A simple thing like calling your customer to tell them you’re running late can go a long ways,” he says. 

Communication Equals Trust

If you haven’t made it a habit to take notes while visiting clients, you might want to reconsider. Stanfield recommends keeping notes of the particular things you discuss with your clients to build effective communication. 

“If you communicate with the owners before, during and after you work on their horse, your problems with the owners will be minimized,” he says. 

“It may sound like it takes a lot of time to do all that, but with new customers, it establishes a communication foundation. After that, you have a client that trusts and respects you and allows you to take care of their…