Entrepreneurs want repeat customers. You want your customers to leave your business happy and satisfied with their purchase so that they come back time and time again to buy what you sell. You want them to be so happy that they leave positive reviews online and tell all their friends and relatives about the excellent service they have received at your establishment, further building your positive reputation and customer base.
Reputation is important. In our modern business world, you look at multiple fronts to satisfy your customers. You have to make them happy in the store. You have to be sure that they are happy with online orders. And you definitely want to keep them happy with your online branding and social media presence.
It is quite a task, and sometimes companies miss out on their customers. the reviews on social media, Google and websites like PissedConsumer point out some of the mistakes entrepreneurs make along the way. While it’s hard to be perfect, the negative reviews and complaints filed online should definitely make you want to try it.
The modern world of customer satisfaction
Online reviews share stats with potential customers instantly. Smart business owners know this and focus on exceptional customer service. But what makes exceptional customer service? Looking at the customer reviews online makes it easy to see what customers are looking for.
If you’re looking for happy customers, focus on these important aspects of your customer service experience first.
The keys to satisfied customers
In a modern, service-oriented company, customer satisfaction is of paramount importance. Do you want to improve the customer experience in your company? Consider some new strategies.
Customized experiences
One of the biggest keys to customer success is creating a customized customer experience. Consumers may know that they are one of the thousands or even millions of people who buy products and services from you, but they don’t want to feel that way.
Customizing experiences can be as simple as greeting customers by name when they call with questions or concerns. You can use software to create personalized suggestions via email or in their online accounts.
The more you allow customers to customize their experiences with your business, the more welcome they’ll feel. Your store is not a one-size-fits-all kind of establishment, so show your customers how much they mean to you by giving them some choices and a little respect in the purchasing and customer service process.
Mutual communication
Customers want to talk to companies about questions, problems and concerns. There are many ways to create conversation channels within your customer support, but one of the easiest may be through social media accounts.
Social media accounts naturally interact with the public. You can create an even stronger presence by: check your accounts and interact with comments and questions that appear on the page. Some companies even go as far as sending company representatives to associated online communities to be the voice of the company in that space.
Think about how powerful it can be if you sell a certain type of boat and you are also a very active member of various boat groups on Facebook or you regularly post on Reddit or Quora. Those with questions will be drawn to the source of the knowledge, which may very well be your company representative.
Multiple contact channels
Speaking of communication, it is important to set up multiple communication channels to make all your customers comfortable in the feedback and communication process. Some of your customers will prefer to call.
However, many others dislike talking on the phone and may prefer a chat feature or even private messaging via social media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Having multiple options available such as email, live chat, phones, and social media to contact your business will help you reach consumers where they are and make it easy for them to get in touch with issues.
Being reachable for customers across multiple touchpoints is all well and good, of course, if you actively staff those options. That doesn’t mean you have to be online 24 hours a day, but try extending your contact options to evening and weekend hours to meet schedules.
And when you say you’re manning the phones and chat lines, leave them manned. Nothing makes a customer angrier than being on hold for a long time after being told you are ready to wait to take their call.
Get feedback from customers
We all know how scary online reviews can be for a business owner. If something goes wrong, it can go very, very wrong and in a very, very public way. But while a negative review can be frustrating, it can also be hugely instructive.
Companies often ask customers to submit positive reviews online, but we also need to be open to receiving information from customers that may not all be a thumbs up. Give customers the opportunity to share their concerns in a way that is comfortable for them and in a way that signals that you are going to do something about it.
A follow-up email is a good start. A call from a service manager can be a great option to answer any new customer questions and an opportunity to solicit helpful feedback for future sales. At the very least, go online and read the reviews and comments customers have about your service and products.
Customers follow and notice when companies pay attention to their feedback. If customers feel sorry for a problem with your products online, communicate with those customers on the forum or social media platform.
Ask for feedback publicly. Collect information and make changes. You can even let the unsatisfied customers test the new design and update their ratings based on your improved performance. Two-way communication and personalized experiences, right?
Create a friendly brand
Finally, your brand is still all online. Every interaction you engage with the audience is another opportunity to create your brand, and the brand you most likely want is one that is open and friendly to customers.
A friendly brand isn’t offended when customers give tips to improve the next version of your merchandise. It engages in conversations with customers in the eyes of the public and participates in fun online activities such as making videos or making funny jokes with other companies.
Consumers feel safe with a friendly brand and don’t have to worry about how they will be treated if there is a problem. If you’ve created a strong brand based on openness, friendliness and trust, it’s not just a brand for customers, it’s the foundation of a strong customer-business relationship.
In a modern world of customer service, the line between business and customer is often blurred. Our customers are our best sources of feedback and information about what we create and how well it works.
Consumers want to be part of your business model and they enjoy making meaningful contributions to your product brand and decisions. Encourage this by being open to customers, treating them like friends or family, and creating as many opportunities for quality feedback as possible. Your customers will respond in kind.
Joanna has been interested in journalism from an early age. Her work at PissedConsumer.com gives her the choice to analyze consumer experiences. In her articles, she provides consumers with useful information and tips to avoid annoying problems and scams.
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