Improving customer service is a process that takes time and effort. If you own a business, your plan will likely grow by obtaining or retaining new customers. If they feel like you don’t care, they’re not likely to buy from you more than once (if at all). So, to improve customer retention, you must develop and implement solid customer retention strategies. Read on to learn different ways to improve customer satisfaction.
How to Improve Customer Satisfaction
One stat to consider is this: 67% of customers polled say they stopped purchasing from a business because of “perceived indifference.” It wasn’t that the company did something to put these people off. Instead, they didn’t demonstrate that they cared enough about their customers. Indifference can and will choke off your retention and destroy your efforts to expand the customer’s lifetime value.
Customer satisfaction research shows that the more engaged a customer feels, without being harassed or bombarded, the more favorable you appear. Everyone wants to feel important and as though they matter.
Please take a look at this example. The person running the ice cream cart at the beach on a hot summer day does not have to consider retention or even initial sales – they may even be indifferent if they feel they’re doing you a favor by selling a pricey treat. However, that same employee has to be doubly mindful in the colder months or when the weather is poor.
Why Everyone Can Improve
No one is perfect, nor should they be. Sometimes, being imperfect, messy, or authentically human is enough to show your clients that “you’re just like them.” When reflecting on how to improve customer satisfaction, don’t forget to put yourself in their shoes. “If my coffee spilled on me, how would I feel, and what would I expect from them to make it right?” “If I spent $10,000 on this service and the tech was late and noncommunicative, what could make me forget?” Although it’s not quite the golden rule, it’s an empathetic, consistent, and patient approach to customer service.
You’re on the right path if you’re considering improving customer satisfaction. Improving customer service is iterative and ever-changing, even with AI. Take, for example, the recent shutdown of AI customer service bots for the National Eating Disorder Association. The bots were only as good as their programming — similar to human customer service reps if poorly trained.
5 Strategies to Increase Customer Satisfaction
Improving customer services is a more than one-size-fits-all approach. What may work for a smaller client or customer might not work for the larger purchasing organizations that are one step removed from the end user.
While there are many methods of obtaining customer feedback, you can choose the one that best represents most of your clients. There will always be outliers. Remember, happy clients are often great referrals, too.
How to Develop Customer Loyalty
- Use a CRM. Staying engaged with your base via a customer relationship management system is crucial. This will let you know when each customer was last contacted, their purchasing habits, and where you might lose people in your sales process. Knowledge is the first step toward developing client retention strategies.
- Communicate. Your customers will forget about you if they never hear from you after their initial purchase. Develop an engaging automated email campaign to keep your loyal and potential new customers in the loop.
- Develop a loyalty program. If you want to attract repeat customers, offer an incentive. Start a loyalty program where you can offer promotions, early access to product launches, and more. This doesn’t have to be high-tech. It can be as simple as a separate mailing list for VIPs who have already made a purchase.
- Get feedback. You can improve customer retention when you increase customer satisfaction. To do that, you need to know what your customers want. After the purchase, ask for reviews in an automated email and listen to your customers. You can also send surveys to your mailing list to find new ways to improve.
- Be responsive. Interact with your customers on social media and promptly respond to messages or emails. Excellent customer service is the best way to show that you care. Make sure your loyal customers feel seen and heard.
Retaining your customers is as easy as ensuring they’re consistently satisfied—not just with your product or service, but with every interaction they have with your business. If you delight your customers, remind them frequently that you exist, and offer them tasty rewards for repeat purchases, you’ll find they’re much more likely to stick around.
The journey from customer satisfaction to customer delight requires extraordinary planning and execution. I have spent decades working on how to implement a delight program. Click here to schedule a free video meeting to work on your business.
Coach Dave
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