The cost of capturing a customer can be quite high. Development of goods and services, marketing, sales, and customer service during and after the sale take a lot of effort. Customer satisfaction can affect retention and influence future sales.
Our fast-paced information world makes it possible for customers to evaluate, rate, and review businesses quickly and information can easily be found to support or criticize their experiences. Word of mouth and online reviews can make or break a business. It’s important to focus on customer satisfaction to retain current customers and attract new ones.
Customer-focused sales take into consideration the entire customer facing experience. From marketing to service during and after the sale, keeping the customer in mind is as important as the benefit of your goods and services. Making simple tweaks to your customer service experience can enhance their experience and improve sales.
Consider these aspects of your business and make some tweaks to make them better
Client experience- How your client experiences your marketing, sales, delivery of goods and services, and after care matters. Consider how your clients funnel into your business and what steps they need to take to access your goods and services. Some things to consider are-
- How customers access your business- Is it easy to find your business, make appointments, and make purchases?
- Website optimization and accessibility- Is your website mobile friendly with active and unbroken links? Is your site accessible for people with disabilities like blindness?
- Efficiency of passive purchases- Is it easy for customers to make a purchase on your site? Do they need to take too many steps to get goods and services into a cart and purchased?
Make any tweaks necessary to improve how easily and efficiently customers can access and purchase your goods or services or make appointments for consultations. Taking too many action steps can turn customers off and stop sales.
Real-time Interactions- It’s become common to limit real-time engagement with customers. Funneling customers to FAQ sheets and using automated responses to questions feels dismissive and lacks the personal attention your competitors may be offering. Customers want real-time engagement when they have questions, need assistance, or have a complaint or concern. Being timely with responses and ensuring customer services is a high priority matter. Some things to consider are-
- Monitoring comments, questions, and inquiries- If you are running a blog, interactive social media, or have a contact me page, it’s vital that customers receive prompt and accurate engagement. Current and future customers can see if comments go unanswered and lack of engagement reflects poorly on customer satisfaction.
- How people engage customer service- Limiting access to your business office is never a good idea. There was a time when phone numbers, addresses, and other relevant information was available for customers to contact a business. It’s become common to only provide email access. This can be discouraging and frustrating for your clients.
- The ease customers have accessing services- If you have a policy for customers to access customer service, make it plain and simple. Burying the process or making it difficult can result in bad reviews online. Make it obvious where and how to connect when customers need to access customer service.
Customer service is a vital part of your business. Customers have incredible influence on how your business is perceived. Having a great experience increases word-of-mouth support, repeat sales, and generates positive reviews. Making sure your customers feel important, supported, and valued can make a dramatic increase in your sales.