Ask any business owner and they will tell you they provide great customer service but that’s not the same as delivering on a consistent customer experience. Think of a brand you love with how they make you feel from customer service to the online (website) or in-person retail experience.
How we do business has changed and that means we need to stop selling products and services and start meeting customer expectations and delivering personalized experiences that will result in customer loyalty, longevity, referrals and positive reviews.
Your competitors are getting savvier because they have access to more digitally driven data then ever before. Additionally, your competitors can research more data about your products or services if they have the right tools, but what no one can get from you is how you engage with your customers. Getting personal and knowing your customers is key to delivering on your customer experience strategy.
Living in a self-serve world
One of the things that has changed in terms of how we do business are the brands that want us to do everything our self. From restaurants that now want you to order and pay from an electronic device on your table to the discount store that has the self-checkout lanes.
Last week I stopped at a gas station to get air in my tire and I was shocked to see I had to now pay for air! Talk about destroying any positive thought I had for this gas station chain because I immediately thought, if this gas station couldn’t provide me free air as a service, what else are they nickel and diming me for?
What this tells me as a consumer is that they are cutting expenses on personnel and don’t care about a delivering on a thoughtful customer experience.
The more hands-off businesses become the more impersonal they become. No remembers or refers that type of experience.
The key to delivering a great experience is to deliver consistently across all marketing (web, social media, customer service and at retail) making sure what you deliver is relevant to them.
Knowing what your customers want and delivering on that consistently is where we all should be focusing.
5 Ways to Improve the Customer Experience
• Listen and respond to customers immediately. Whether online or in private, you need to ensure that personal interaction is there.
• Respond to every comment and review on your website, social media and review sites. They will appreciate your acknowledgement of their opinion. This also allows you to discover areas in which you can improve your business.
• Include a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on your website. This helps your customers quickly research answers to questions they may have with your product or service.
• As soon as a customer purchases a product or use your service, immediately acknowledge them with an email, phone call or thank you note. This goes a long way in getting referred and loyalty.
• Get to know what your customers want and need and create a consistent process to deliver on that!
Ask for Customer Feedback
You will get better at delivering a great customer experience when you know what your customers like and dislike about you. I always encourage asking either via a survey or phone call. Here is a sampling of questions you may want to ask;
1. What do you love about our Product/Service?
2. What do you wish would happen more often when you work with us?
3. If we were going to do something to make working with us (or buying from us) nicer or better for you, what would that be?
4. If you were going to tell someone about our business what would you say?
5. We are committed to delighting and amazing our customers. What could we do to make that happen for you?
Customer Experience Starts with Company Vision
To make sure that everyone in an organization (company) is in alignment with the customer service/experience vision. The first step is to define that vision in simple and memorable terms.
We all have had experiences with brands that deliver consistently with every employee. Some the big brands that do this well are Southwest Airlines, Nordstrom Stores and Ritz-Carlton Hotels just to name a few. You are treated the same way every time!
Improve Your Customer Experience – Drive Revenue
Consumers want more than to be sold to all the time, they want to build relationships with you and feel like they are a part of something special and that you care. Once you have earned trust and loyalty you will be rewarded with the revenue.
Who do you think delivers exceptional customer experiences? Leave your comment below.
