Whether you’re a fully established business or you’re just starting out, there’s one golden rule to learn. Rather than the customer always being right, it’s that the customer is at the centre of everything you do. Without them, you have no business.
Whether you’re a fully established business or you’re just starting out, there’s one golden rule to learn. Rather than the customer always being right, it’s that the customer is at the centre of everything you do. Without them, you have no business. So that’s why, in such a competitive business landscape, prioritising your customers is paramount.
The customer experience refers to the way customers interact with your business. Whether it’s providing a professional space for client meetings or making it easy for customers to purchase online, the customer experience covers everything.
The importance of the customer experience
Why is the customer experience so important? Well, it’s because customers want to connect and engage with businesses. It’s not always about having the cheapest prices or the newest products. It’s also about whether customers enjoy the experience of dealing with your company.
The experience is different depending on your business, but essentially there are 4 key areas of the journey to focus on.
- Can you be found and contacted easily?
- Do you answer your customers’ questions quickly?
- Is it easy to make a purchase or use your service?
- Do you have effective post-sale support?
Overall, if customers are satisfied with their experience, you achieve better brand recognition, more loyal customers, and also repeat business. So, here are a few tips to improve the experience for your customers.
Be easily found and contactable
In today’s world, you need a strong online presence. You’ll need to be active on social media, and also have a website that ranks well on search engines. Especially for businesses relying on local business, this is essential. It also means having multiple contact methods. Customers should be able to reach you by phone, email, website contact forms, even social media.
Solve the customer’s problems quickly
Think about why customers might contact you. If it’s to ask product related questions, perhaps you can answer this even more effectively by improving the content on your website. If you’re in eCommerce, do you offer fast delivery options? Additionally, when customers do contact you through multiple channels, make sure you get back to them quickly. When responding to queries, fast service is winning service.
Be easy to purchase from
Customers want smooth transactions. If you’re a brick-and-mortar retail store, consider offering delivery options. The same goes for cafes and restaurants. If you’re a services business or B2B company, be flexible with meetings. Provide a professional, easy to find place to hold client meetings, and don’t make people wait weeks for an appointment. In eCommerce, make sure your checkout and delivery process is simple with plenty of payment options. It’s all about making it easy for you customers to access your service.
The customer journey doesn’t end with the sale
Finally, consider your post-sale support. Make sure customers can contact you easily, and complaints, concerns, returns or queries are handled in a timely manner. This shows customers you’re still committed to great service even after the sale.
Ultimately, it’s about making every touch-point easy and enjoyable. Focus every part of your business on the customer, listen to feedback, and transform your business into a customer-centric success story in 2021.
