The Sales Process & Customer Service

Good customer service can be a powerful competitive advantage. This lesson covers the sales process, the importance of customer service, and how businesses use customer feedback to improve.

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The Sales Process

The sales process is the series of steps a business follows to convert a potential customer into a paying customer. While the specifics vary by industry, the general process follows a common pattern:

graph LR
    A[Awareness] --> B[Interest]
    B --> C[Desire]
    C --> D[Action / Purchase]
    D --> E[After-sales service]
    E --> F[Repeat custom / Loyalty]

Stage	Description
Awareness	The customer becomes aware of the product through marketing or word of mouth
Interest	The customer shows interest and seeks more information
Desire	The customer wants the product and considers purchasing
Action	The customer makes the purchase
After-sales service	Support and service after the purchase (delivery, returns, complaints handling)
Repeat custom	Satisfied customers return and may recommend the business to others

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What Is Customer Service?