Better customer service has been shown to improve both customer acquisition and customer retention and increase company revenues - and we speak to some industry experts today to get their insight.
Know what your customers want
“The better you are able to get to know your customers, the more you will be able to meet their expectations, wants and needs,” explains Rosie Marie of Rosca Technologies.
“Consider what you know about the customers you have had up until this point and, if there are gaps in your knowledge, think about what it would be useful to know in order to improve your products and services.”
“See if there is already information readily available about customer behaviour trends for your sector published by other companies.”
“If you have a cohort of existing customers, think about how you might be able to capture information using a questionnaire or survey. Any additional insight that you can yield will help you think about how you could improve your product or service to better suit their needs.”
Encourage customer feedback
“There are lots of different ways to find out what customers think about your company so you should think carefully about how you want to approach the topic,” she continues.
“Depending on the nature of your business, you could approach your customers personally via email, phone or even face-to-face.”
“This personalised approach could be a good way to find out what a customer thinks about your product or service. Another way of seeking customer feedback is through online reviews or by sending through a short survey or feedback form.”
“If you are going for the approach of a survey or form, think about incentivising customers to complete the form. Keep it as short and simple as possible so that more customers are more likely to participate.”
Invest in customer service training
Investing time, or even money, in customer service training could be one of the best things your company does.
Whether it is bringing in a professional who can support your business strategy, developing an internal customer service training programme or providing resources for customer service training or tips, any resources you invest in your customer service training will help to improve your business. You should make good customer service a company priority and raise awareness about its importance among your entire team.
Make customer service easy
With every stage of your business, think about what the customer is experiencing, explains the UK Gov website. Before the sale, is it easy for customers to ask questions or contact the company if they have a query?
Do you have 24/7 points of contact such as phone, email, live chat or contact form? During the sales process, is the user experience seamless? Is it clear and easy to navigate your website if there is one? Think about the language you are using for your website and product descriptions - is it easy and clear to understand?
If you are able to preempt any questions your customer may have along the sales pipeline and make it easy for them to contact you, you make it easier for them to buy from you. The quicker and easier it is for them to buy from you, the more likely you are to make a sale and generate more customers.
Exceed customer expectations
Going above and beyond the basic needs of your customers can secure customer loyalty which not only could lead to repeat business but could encourage word-of-mouth recommendations.
For example, offering customers a special something to celebrate a special event or milestone - this could be a discount or special offer. Think about what you could offer a customer that will bring value to them - for example an extension or add-on to the product or service they have bought. An extra touch can help gain customer loyalty and encourage referrals.