Feb 21, 2020
As a business owner, it does not matter how great your brand is or how brilliant your team might be, what a client is likely to remember for long is that direct contact or relationship they have with you. One vital aspect that should come along with any company that wants to excel, is excellent customer satisfaction; which should be the key business goal.
If your prices are reasonable, but customer relationship is poor, then, you are not likely to attract repeat transactions, which is what really grows a business and not the one-off purchases. However, when customers are satisfied, they will not hesitate to spend money on that all-important pleasant experience! If your company is on a mission to keep clients happy to further attract more business, the ten customer tracking tips below will help.
1. Know your customers
Be sure to delineate your target market and know them well; research their buying habit and what they want in a product. Armed with this information, you will be in a better position to match your customer’s expectations as well as exceed them. No doubt, it is important to build trust - focus more on customer relationships rather than sales. Also, try to keep the focus on long term transactions; for sure, a happy customer will be loyal to the extent of giving out referrals to family and friends.
2. Listen to customers
Feedback shouldn’t be considered a curse, but a blessing. Your brand stands to benefit more when you listen to customer complaints and eventually meet their needs. This way, you will know precisely what the client expects from you. Important to note that listening becomes useless when you fail to respond to a request. So, gathering and processing customer feedback is very crucial to business growth. At the end of the day, those requested changes should be implemented for the development of your brand.
3. Understand the needs of your customers
Some companies are great at trying to convince past customers to buy what they don’t need – which can be quite detrimental in the long run. Rather, what helps is to ask relevant questions to show your customers that you really care. Customer satisfaction surveys help greatly to obtain all the much-needed that will offer a better understanding of your customer’s needs. Your foresight and eagerness to listen to them will work towards developing trust and rapport.
4. Leverage software to get feedback
With the aid of software, we can now track marketing efforts, finances, and of course, customer satisfaction. Back in the days, we only had to rely on appreciations following emails or phone calls to measure customer satisfaction, hoping that our goals have been achieved. Presently, there are support ticketing tools, including customer feedback surveys that are presented after a customer issue has been resolved. Through the feedback, you will be able to know how well you did with each customer as well as identify where your company missed the mark.
These customer responses are priceless, as they lead you to discover new insight into serious issues and new ways to tackle such problems. Even when you eventually manage to resolve the issue to the client’s satisfaction, subsequent feedback will still follow for further clarity. Thus, the importance of software cannot be overemphasized in dealing with customer issues.
5. Quit acting like a machine, be human
Customers will give a warm welcome to any form of personalization; this is especially true in this period of marketing automation. When resolving complaints or answering questions, a human face will be more appreciated instead of boring templates. Speak the customer’s language and avoid referencing your organization’s FAQ. Also to be avoided at this point is the company policy as it may not be easy for the client to understand.
6. Make the experience a comfortable one for the client
A customer that presents an issue on a social media platform shouldn’t be redirected. It is not ideal to coerce them into writing an email or making a phone call. The reason a customer would use Facebook to reach out to you is simply because he or she is more comfortable with the platform.
When you get such requests, offer the customer a plethora of choices as opposed to a single solution. Offer clear information on when the issue is going to be resolved and avoid keeping them in suspense. The type of services to offer the customer is the one that demands fast communication and interaction – which is known as chain value marketing.
7. Correct clients the right way
Customers are only human; thus they will not always be right. It may be that they got the wrong end of the stick; however, be sure to employ the right approach while effecting a correction. Understanding is the key; always let the client know that you are happy to be of service. Don’t try to argue with them; only educate them on the issue at hand. Be gentle and leave your client open to accepting the right information; however, remember to keep the sales alive while you do so.
8. Don’t ever assume that all your customer’s needs are settled
Things might appear like they are going smoothly when they are not. In a customer relationship, you are defined by what you do as well as what you fail to do. Note that the client might not always feel like opening up when they are unhappy, or when their expectations are not met. The onus is on you to conduct frequent checks to ensure that their needs are constantly met. Conducting anonymous client satisfaction surveys will also help to fetch additional feedback.
9. Provide numerous ways for clients to contact with
Even in this modern era, getting in touch with a company’s customer service unit to resolve a simple problem may still prove difficult. Thus, it is critical to provide multiple avenues for clients to communicate with your business seamlessly. Make it possible for any concerned customer to reach you through email, phones, web, live chat, and much more. Also, you should ensure that the waiting period is not too long.
10. Keep your clients updated
We all love to stay in the loop; thus, you must keep your clients updated with the progress of the company. This is especially true when your business has been experiencing an extended delay. Ensure that customer’s expectations are managed. And if there is any change in plans, let them know and explain why it happened. Providing frequent updates for customers can positively impact the growth of a business.
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