5 Points on How to Keep your Customers Happy
Walt Disney once said, “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends”. Keeping your customers happy and creating love between your company and customers will help scale positive words of mouth. By 2020, 89% of businesses are expected to compete mainly on customer experience; it will overtake price and product as the key differentiator between brands. So, if you are planning to start a business, customer satisfaction is the key to survival in today’s competitive marketplace.
Happy customers are a goal for every company, but sometimes it's harder to satisfy them than others. These 5 tips will definitely keep your clients happy and satisfied!
- Treat your customers right
Your customers are your business, never take them for granted. Make your customers feel important. Call them by name, Ask about their families, vacation plans, additions to the family, Take notes of their birthday, hobbies and interests etc. This creates a far deeper level of communication and shows that you are interested in them as individuals.
- Kindness and Gratitude
Kindness and gratitude is an undeniable way to further enchant the customers for the long term. Customers tend to spend more time with a company because of the history of positive experience. Be as appreciative as possible to your customers for taking time off their schedule. Etiquette is a key skill to have under your belt. Even if a customer is rude, resist at all costs the temptation of responding in kind.
- Special offers and Gifts
Customers always appreciate receiving discounts, special rate opportunities, and free goods or services; the act itself shows them you are willing to reciprocate. There are several ways to reward loyalty; the most common include discounts on selected products, invite-only shopping events, free services, and free trials on new products, giveaways, and loyalty cards. If you are starting a business, you can provide introductory offers or goodies; it will not only help you to grab eyeballs but also will keep your customers happy. Rewards with a personal touch are also a great idea and provide a more intimate level of appreciativeness.
- Keep your promise and be transparent
Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Make sure your customers aren’t left disappointed with your services. Be honest with your customers at all times. If you can do something, tell them, if you can’t, tell them. Your customers will appreciate your honesty and admire your integrity. Transparency is a critical factor in building trust, satisfaction, and love from your customers.
- Feedback
Make it easy for your customers to complain. Your customers want to feel heard; especially when they are frustrated with the service they received. Bryant H McGill said it best, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say”. If the customers are not satisfied, 13% of them will tell to 15 or even more people that they are unhappy. On the other hand, 72% of customers will share a positive experience with 6 or more people. Invite feedback by asking customers what they liked best and least about your service, it shows how you value your customers and their feedback. Use the following methods to collect feedback from your customers:
- Surveys
- Focus Groups
- Observation
- Point of Sale
- Customer Service
- Social Media
- Communities and Groups
- Email and Web Forms
