The Art Of Delighting As Many Customers As Possible
By Business Desk
Wednesday, September 21, 2016.
If you have your own business to run, you are probably aware of the importance of impressing your customers. They, after all, are the reason that your business even exists. If you had no customers to attend to, you would not have any business at all. However, it goes far beyond that. For many business owners, there is even a joy in impressing their customers. And it’s true – when you successfully delight them, it can feel wonderful. If you have started to realise that you could be doing more for your customers – congratulations. This is a positive step to take. Now, however, you need to know what exactly you can do to make sure that you do delight them, and as many of them as possible. To that end, we have collated some of the best advice from many different sources. If you are keen for your customers to be as happy as possible, then you should bear the following in mind. Here are some key ways to make sure that your customers are kept as happy as possible for as long as possible. With any luck, this will mean that they keep on coming back.
Find Out What They (Really) Want
It goes without saying that knowing what the customer wants is the first step towards being able to provide it. However, it can be difficult to work out how to achieve that. The reason for this is quite simple. There is, in fact, quite a difference between what a customer says they want, and what they really want. A lot of this is down to the fact that people very often do not quite know what they really desire. You can see this at plays by looking at your marketing analytics. Chances are, what works does not actually match up with what your customers say should work.
So if they don’t know what they want, how can you find out? The answer is to look not just at what they say, but what they do. Your tactic here is to both listen to your customer, and to observe the data about them. As long as you are only doing one or the other, nothing is going to land quite right. You need to work out where the middle path is between what they say and what they do. Then, you will know exactly what it is that they need to feel valued by your company. If you get this right, you might find that your customers are pleased with the experience without even knowing why. This is a sure sign that you are on the right track, or at least doing something right. Providing your customers with what they really need is one of the main reasons that your business exists, so this can be really satisfying.
Always Over-Deliver
Now that you know what your customers truly desires, you need to work out how to deliver it to them in the right way. In this, again, there is one rule of thumb which can’t see you far wrong. As long as you are delivering more than you promised, it is unlikely you will get many complaints. This, again, may be easier said than done. However, it is definitely worth trying to get to the bottom of, no matter how long it takes.
A key aspect of this lies in simply how you communicate with your customers. When your customer service staff are talking to them, be sure that they are being sensible in their approach. As a general rule, you should try to make sure they under-promise. As long as they are doing that, then everything you do will be seen as effectively over-delivering. This is one of the most powerful strategies around, so it is worth bearing in mind.
Beyond that, you should of course also put every effort into making sure your processes are genuinely as fast and productive as possible. No matter what the customer needs, have the necessary tools in place to ensure that they get it in no time at all. It might even be worth using the help of a Red Stag Fulfillment centre. These are third party logistical advisors and helpers who can aid in streamlining your business processes. When it comes to this sort of thing, every little change makes a difference. Ultimately, if your customer is enjoying a better experience, then it is definitely worth it.
Adapt To Their Needs
One of the central ideas in business is adaptation. This is as important for a company as it is for a species of animal. The fact is, the world is ever-changing. The ability to change with it is very often what sets a business apart and puts it in the limelight. Chances are, you have a great many processes already in place which are designed to make things easier on you as a business. There is no problem with having these as such. Indeed, they are necessary in many ways. However, it is much more important to be able to adapt to your customers’ needs as and when they arise. If your business is able to do this, then it is much more likely that your customers will appreciate whatever it is that you are doing. This is best, of course, when you are able to accurately predict what it is that your customers really want. That in itself is just a matter of practice, and it will develop over time.
Respond Fast, And Fully
Communication is the key to any relationship. And that includes the relationship between your business and your customer. When your customers have a question or a query, you should work hard to answer it as fast as you can. Beyond that, you should also try to respond in a manner which is as full as possible. Doing so will mean that your customer feels a lot more taken care of than they might otherwise. If you are unsure about the answer to something, it is always best to be honest about that. Then, you can work towards answering their query as soon as possible. They are likely to really appreciate this honesty much more.
