The customer has become far more informed than any other time in history. The internet allows consumers to research a business whether it is a marketing company or restaurant. Customer experience has now become a priority, especially in more competitive business niches. Informed customers at times can be far easier to deal with than those that are not sure what they want. Taking a proactive approach but creating policies to encourage customer experience can be done. A simple follow-up email after a conversation is a great example if the company requires it. This puts a focus on communication and allows a customer to refer to the email later. Below will delve into the different tactics that will help improve overall customer experience.
Educate Customers on the Company Blog
The education of clients on the company blog can allow the client to understand the value the company is providing them. Informed customers are far easier to deal with as the terminology used in some industries can be complicated. Expanding the knowledge of the client can also be done via pieces of training that should also be available on the company website.
Podcasting can be a perfect way to create quality content that is in-depth and easy to listen to. The right guests on a podcast can expand the reach of a company and help build the company brand.
Social Media Should Play a Role in Customer Service
Social media can be considered the Wild West of customer service. People tend to express themselves in far more aggressive manners than they would in person. The public nature of social media can help showcase the brand’s goal of providing the best customer experience possible. Lack of answers to social media complaints can be viewed as a lack of care by a specific business. Acknowledging a complaint and trying to make it right can help retain a customer that would have taken their business elsewhere. Keep in mind that some “customers” might be fake accounts from competitors trying to drum up controversy.
Meet Clients Regularly Face to Face
In today’s world of technology, the focus of meeting clients face to face has waned a bit with video conference tools. Setting up multiple meetings in a specific city where clients are concentrated can be extremely important. The logistics of this should not be left to someone that is not going on the trip or hasn’t planned a detailed business trip in the past. Taking a look at tips for business travel cannot be understated as there might be tips that only seasoned business travelers know. Meet with clients and take them out for entertainment as the personal rapport built is important. Ending a contract becomes far more difficult if a client personally likes the staff that they work with.
Loyal Customers Should be Rewarded
Loyal customers being rewarded with discounts or exclusive offerings does work. Customers that are looking to sign a long-term contract might be convinced by offering a cheaper price. Most loyal customers are already happy with what a business provides them. This is not to drive revenue but rather to drive customer retention and build a sense of community. Restaurants do this in an efficient nature by offering a free side or overall discounts for those in their loyalty programs. Most people that have worked managing a restaurant realize that a majority of sides cost very little when compared to entrees.
CRM Usage Needs to be Priority
Customer relationship management cannot be undervalued in today’s world. There is frequent turnover at plenty of companies which can lead to account managers for valued clients being changed. A smooth transition requires the new account manager to be thoroughly informed about the client. Important customers should be managed by those that are sure to stay with the company for an extended period. A person dealing with a client that has had multiple jobs in just a few years will not be a prime candidate to manage a long-term client. The following are tips to manage the CRM platform to the best of the company’s ability:
- Detailed notes should be inputted after conversations or meetings.
- Client birthdays or anniversaries should be noted. A gift for a birthday can make a client feel valued and will help build a personal rapport.
- The CRM should be integrated with a project management tool to provide a full view of a client’s project.
- Purchase history needs to be included in order to upsell clients that are currently happy with the services/products being purchased.
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Take the time to assess how your business is doing in regards to customer experience. A few tweaks might be all that it takes to deliver a far superior customer experience when compared to competitors. Customers want to feel valued and they should feel this way through the duration of the sales process and time working with the company. The age of customer experience is upon us, do not let competitors pass your company simply due to putting the customer first.
