IMPROVE YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!

Have you ever ordered something from Amazon.com? If you have, you know the secret to creating an amazing customer experience. From one touch ordering to detailed descriptions and reviews of products, it doesn’t get any easier to do business with them. (If it can be easier, believe me they are working on it!)

Having a quality product is only half the battle these days. Clearly communicating the expectations around how the product or service is delivered or installed, how payment will work, and what they can expect after the transaction is paramount. Businesses today need to utilize technology to automate and expedite the customer’s experience. Do you have an automated system in place to manage your customer’s experience?

The experience starts before someone even becomes your customer. It really begins the moment someone comes in contact either directly or indirectly with anything you have out in the world. Potential customers are everywhere. Your server at the family’s favorite restaurant may be your next customer, and the logo on your polo shirt paired with how you present yourself gives them an idea of your company’s experience. Even surfing the web aimlessly and seeing an advertisement is related to the experience. What happens when they click on your ad online? Is their experience what they thought it should be based on your message?

STEP 1: BECOME YOUR OWN CUSTOMER

The show Undercover Boss really showcases how becoming someone inside your organization can give invaluable insight into your employee’s interaction with each other and customers. Take it one step further. Most small business owners are close enough to their business to see what I just described. I would propose that you look at your business the way a potential customer would. Google yourself. See what’s online that may be influencing their decisions. Test your website. See how your website scores to improve your search engine optimization. Call your company as a customer would. Is your staff friendly? One thing I always suggest is to use tracking numbers in your marketing. Software exists that can track the calls that come in as well as record the conversation. If your marketing is generating phone calls, but conversions just aren’t there, this would be the best way to figure out why that is. You may also find hidden opportunities while listening to some of your potential customers describe their situations to your staff.

STEP 2: SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

As your customers go through the process of working with your company let them know clearly how delivery is handled and some clear steps they can take to make it easier. Communicate and make sure they understand the payment method and what they are getting for their dollars. Customers are focused on saving money, but if enough value is added they will spend the money for a great experience…(hint: that’s always the goal!) Surprises almost always leave a bad taste. You’ll be judged not always by what you do, but how what you do compares with their past experiences with your type of company. Take the time to find out what they are seeking in your marketplace.

STEP 3: KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

Knowing your numbers is something Marcus Lemonis from the show The Profit says all the time. He suggests that knowing your costs and margins to the penny is one of the three most important things in business. Are you marketing your most profitable products the most? Businesses that use offers really need to understand this. If you’re discounting low margin products to get people in the door, there better be a higher margin product for them when they show up. Good restaurants know this. They make their margins in the bar and give deals on food items to sell soda and spirits at high margin.

Be hesitant to over promise and under deliver when using discounts to drive business. Using fine print or impossible to redeem mail-in rebates may earn you the sale but the aftermath of an angry customer may not be worth it. Make sure when working with offers and deals that you know your numbers so you’re not pricing yourself right out of business or offering something that will not create a great experience.

The ever evolving shape of how we do business can make or break our customer’s experiences. It never stops, so neither can you. As soon as you think you have it figured out, someone comes up with something new to challenge your comfort level. Always be on your toes and take your company’s experience temperature often to stay on the cutting edge of delivering what your customers need, when they need it with the highest satisfaction possible.