What makes a company stand out? The way they deliver exceptional customer service.
Good customer service isn’t just about technical competence; it’s also about being human. Providing excellent customer service is a skill that can be learned—and your customers will thank you for it. There are many ways to provide good customer service.
Providing your customers with a pleasant and memorable experience can keep them coming back time and time again. So here’s how to make your customers happy from now on!
Five ways to ensure a positive customer experience for your business
1. Know your customers
Significant interactions begin with knowing your customers. Understanding how to reach them and what matters most to them can help you deliver a better experience.
It’s easy to forget that behind every customer is a story. Learn the details of their lives, starting with their name and order. Then ask follow-up questions and remember the answers, making the customer feel important. Remember what you find out about each person and the context of your conversations.
If you’re working with a team, create a database of notes about your customers so that everyone stays in sync. This will also keep track of potential special orders for regulars and enable staff to serve customers better by knowing the details of their preferences.
The key is to make each interaction memorable for both parties—whether it’s an exchange over the counter, a delivery to someone’s home, or something else altogether.
Your goal is to build relationships that last long after your customer has left the store or hung up on a call with support.
Ask them questions like:
- What kinds of things do they most enjoy about your brand?
- What’s their favorite part of shopping at your store?
- What do they love most about your products?
- If they could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
- Do they have any suggestions for how you can improve?
- What can you do to make their experience at your store even better?
By asking your customers open-ended questions, you’ll learn more about their preferences and opinions than if you just started telling them what you want them to know or think about you and your business.
2. Implement self-service programs
When it comes to delivering a great customer experience, everyone in the organization plays a part. But if individual employees don’t feel their needs are being heard, then your company isn’t likely to be at its best.
That’s why you need to take the pulse of your workforce. Some organizations use engagement surveys and employee focus groups, which can effectively get an inside view of what employees think. Whatever method you choose, make sure it gets at employees’ true thoughts and feelings—not necessarily what they think leadership wants to hear.
You might use an employee pulse survey or focus group to pinpoint specific pain points in the employee experience—for example, long lines at the cafeteria or challenges with performance management processes.
Just in case you have a customer support team, having a self-service knowledge base can be of great help to reduce the agent burnout.
Once you know where to look, you’re better equipped to review systematic approaches such as contact center protocols and CRM software that may unintentionally frustrate employees and customers alike.
3. Reflect on your existing strategy
Cultivating a customer-centric culture in your organization can be challenging, especially if your business is large or operates across different geographic regions. However, there are ways to overcome the challenges and create an environment where employees work to deliver a great customer experience every day. One way is to reflect on your existing strategy and find loopholes.
Review systematic processes such as contact center protocols and CRM software that directly impact your customers’ experiences. Find out what’s blocking your employees from delivering a great customer experience, then consider changes you can make, such as upgrading technology and adjusting processes.
Gathering your team to discuss the matter is a good start, but it’s essential to go beyond talking and do something. Make use of your employees’ collective knowledge by using this time to identify systematic problems resulting from increased customer demand and incorporate changes into your processes.
4. Take customer feedback into consideration
When you ask for customer feedback and improve the experience for your customers, you’re setting yourself up to have a unique advantage over the competition.
Your customers will think of your company as a business willing to go above and beyond to meet their needs. As a result, they will gradually be more attracted to your brand because they can depend on you, and they’ll be more likely to give your business a positive review on social media or recommend it to their friends.
Every day, businesses worldwide are losing customers because they did not take action based on customer feedback. You mustn’t let this happen!
When you ask your customers to provide feedback and suggestions-
- You are giving them a voice in your business and offering them an opportunity to have a say in the process of improvement.
- Getting direct and immediate feedback on what they like and don’t like about your company
- You are making it easier for them to give you their input.
5. Make long-term goals
When you treat customers well, you’ll keep them as a customer for life. This is especially important during economic uncertainty and when businesses are competing for customers.
Nowadays, it’s easy to switch from one company to another. For example, if you have an iPhone, you might be thinking of switching to Android because of the new Samsung Galaxy S7. But, if you believe that the service or product you are currently using is good enough, why would you consider switching?
The same applies to your customers: If they’re happy with your service or product and it fits their needs, why would they consider switching to another company? They won’t need to pay extra money if they get what they need at a reasonable price.
In addition, happy customers are loyal to your company and will do the marketing for you through word of mouth.
Conclusion
Customer service is one of the most important departments that a company has. Many people expect outstanding customer service but may not realize why excellent service is essential.
Poor customer service can harm your brand, while excellent customer service can help you become an industry leader. So it’s essential to deliver better customer service today!
Many brands that have become market leaders have done so by providing better customer service than their competition. Disney, Nordstrom, and Amazon are just a few companies that have invested millions in creating top-quality customer service departments and systems. They’ve made it clear that they believe good customer service is the foundation of their success.