What you sell is important, but how you sell may matter even more. Your customer’s experience before, during and after the sale will determine whether or not they become a one-and-done consumer or come back for more. Building the best customer experience possible will help you increase the likelihood of capturing and gaining a loyal customer.
You have the power to create whatever experience you want. Double Tree Hotels is well known for treating their guests to fresh-baked cookies as part of their check-in experience. Chick-fil-a reminds their patrons of their value by using the phrase “It’s my pleasure” whenever possible. Ultimately you can create whatever customer experience you choose that best represents your values and standards. Here are some tips to get you started:
- View your business through their eyes – Consider what the sales and after-the-sale experience is like for your customer. Based on their point of view, what would make their experience better? If you are unsure, ask a colleague or friend to review your current practices and offer feedback.
- Use the golden rule – Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself. A great way to map out your customer experience is to consider what experiences work well for you. Implement the same policies and procedures that you’ve experienced as a consumer. Chances are, your customers will appreciate them as much as you do.
- Ask for feedback – The easiest way to determine what your customers love about their experiences with your business and what may be missing is to ask. Use social media or an email to take a poll or offer an incentive for feedback. If you see a consistent request, you may want to consider it to enhance the customer experience.
- Leave your troubles at the door – Everyone has a bad day, even business owners. Unhappy staff can directly impact the customer experience. It’s important to set aside any personal negativity when dealing with customers. Compartmentalize problems until work is done and focus on having a positive and customer-focused attitude.
- Pay attention to what customers say – Your customers will tell you what they need with every sale. Each time a customer asks a question it could be an indication their experience could be better. When customers make requests, it may be worthwhile to consider if those requests would enhance other customer’s experiences and boost more sales.
- Don’t assume staff understand customer service – If you have staff that engage customers, don’t assume they are savvy enough to know what you expect. Be direct and train them to engage customers in a consistent way. This helps your customers have a similar experience no matter who they work with. Be sure to instill your philosophies and expectations into staff trainings, policies, and procedures.
