Best 10 Tips to Improve Customer Satisfaction
It is said that a satisfied customer is a future profit. Every brand aims to get 100% customer satisfaction because this is the key to success. So, if you also want to boost the satisfaction level of your customers and keep them connected, stick here for a few minutes.
In this article, I will share with you the secret but solid tips to keep your customers happy because customer satisfaction is key to business growth.
Keeping customers happy and satisfied with your products or services is actually a task. To attain perfection in doing this, you may need some real tips, and this is what I’ll be presenting to you here.
So If you want to win the hearts of your customers and keep them loyal for life, then keep reading
Outline of 10 Tips to Improve Customer Satisfaction
- Personalize your services
- First Impression Matters
- Know Your Customer (KYC)
- Listen and Get Feedback
- Place your Customer Above your Problems
- Give More for Less
- Organize your Company for Maximum Output
- Build Awareness for your Brand
- Be Time Conscious
- Keep Employee Morale High
1. Personalize your services
Yes, we may be living in an era of automation but we are humans, and humans love to connect. Your customers will surely love the accuracy and brilliance in your products and services. But, they will connect with you more if you will give them a personal touch.
Give them a warm welcome when they land on your page or visit your store. Try to show them the human face behind your brand.
You can answer their questions and solve their queries with a personalized approach which is far better than pointing them to where they can get automated replies. Turning your customers to auto-generated answers when they come to you with queries is a no no. This is one of the worst strategies which are hard to understand.
Image: WorkAlpha
2. First Impression Matters
The way a customer sees your business the first time they relate with you most times never leave their thought.
According to Psychology Today, “The exaggerated impact of first impressions is related to the halo effect, that phenomenon whereby the perception of positive qualities in one thing or part gives rise to the perception of similar qualities in related things or in the whole.”
PT also asserts that “first impressions matter, for good and bad. They are fine when you like someone on first meeting; they are not so fine when the first meeting is negative. Positive first impressions lead to social cohesion; negative first impressions lead to biases and social prejudice.”
This been said, whether it’s your physical appearance, facial expression, manner of approach or business environment, you need to make sure they look attractive to your customers/clients. No one wants to associate with dirty environment as this speaks volume of your output, or ill mannered attendant as this leaves bad energy.
3. Know Your Customer (KYC)
Image: AuthBridge
Invest your time in knowing your customers a bit more, believe me, it will be worth it. Don’t limit your research to the normal customer relationship management information gathering and tracking activities but try to see the personal sides of your customers.
To improve customer satisfaction, you can make them feel good and special by remembering them on their special days like birthday or anniversary. By doing these small things, you will impact them positively so much that they can turn into your real-life or you can say word-of-mouth marketers. Not only this, they can do the most natural and free advertisement for your business.
4. Listen and Get Feedback
It is important you identify the best, non-disturbing and non-intrusive ways to get your customers feedback especially after using your product or service for the first time. Try to reach out to them via email or text message (multi-media) requesting to know there satisfaction level.
Image: Pixabay
If you can, use visuals like the one above within your message and make sure any dissatisfied customer gives feedback on why they are and how they think you can improve. Then make sure you follow up with an assurance message that there observation have been noted and they’ll definitely notice this when next they shop with you.
Never see a negative review as a disadvantage but as an opportunity to improve.
5. Place your Customer Above your Problems
It is true we are humans and bound to have down time or what I call frustration time but we shouldn’t allow our frustration harm our relationship with the customer. Problems are bound to occur while running a business but don’t vent your anger or frustration on the customer especially when they default.
Maybe a customer breaks an item, used a product wrongly and damages it in the process. Depending on the item, it could still be a win-win for you if you manage the situation very calmly, mature and in a very respectable manner.
If it is something that can be easily replaced, do this without seeking extra payment and I assure you, the customers heart is won for life. A very remorseful customer might end up paying you for the damaged item willingly.
Your focus should be on putting a smile on the customers face when they are using your product or enjoying your service.
6. Give more for less
With the dwindling economies in most nations and the increase in responsibilities, most individuals are looking on how to cut cost while enjoying value. If you can offer the best value at a moderate price, you’ll definitely be putting smile on your customers face even without them showing you.
You can also offer discount to loyal customers whom have patronized your business for years. Most hospitality organizations offer discount to loyal customers unlike their telecommunication counterparts that offer discount or what they call welcome back offer only when they noticed a dissatisfied customer have not used their product or service for a period of time.
This should not be so. Loyal customers should be your priority in your reward system else you’ll lose them to competitors.
7. Organize your Company for Maximum Output
To improve customer satisfaction, make sure every department in your company is giving their best to produce the best value for your customer. While the customer support staff have a big responsibility on their shoulders, other departments like the production department are also responsible to making sure your products remain high quality. Also look out for loopholes in your company and amend the errors. Until all the gears are well oiled and connected, you don’t expect the smooth running of your company. Here’s a great guide for your company in order to build the ultimate QA Strategy.
8. Build awareness for your brand
Image: dianepenelope.com
Having a trusted brand give your customers (prospective) confidence. You can create awareness using influencers. Potential customers may wish to try your product when they see the caliber of individuals promoting your brand. If a customer trusts your brand reps/marketers/ambassadors, they’ll most like want to try your product.
Until customers trust your brand, you may remain stagnant. It has been proven that brands trusted by their customers tend to grow because the customers easily refer friends to them.
Here are 10 Ways to Earn Customer’s Trust and Confidence.
You can use brand packaging, advertisements (online, billboard, flyers etc) to get noticed. Google Ads is very useful too.
Now, with a well known brand and a previously satisfied customer naturally discussing your product/service with a potential customer, their is a high percentage you are gaining new customer.
Also note that a good customer support with good communication skills sets you in the position of an industry expert. You can also reach out to bloggers in your niche, give them your products for free to use and write honest reviews about your brand. Online reviews are the best thing that ever happened to small business according to Forbes. It is also important you educate customers on how your rating system works.
9. Be Time Conscious
Image: MyOrganicLifeJourney.com
One of the business I found, a Cleaning Service Company (OFRAN JANITORIAL SERVICES), while giving customers delivery time for a cleaning job, I try to be certain I can finish the job before the given time. This has helped me deliver 90% of my job 12-24 hours before time. That is under-promising and over-delivering.
The feeling and looks in my customers face while inspecting the job shows satisfaction. Nobody like to wait beyond agreed time.
Also learn to reply and on time, every query sent to your inbox (mail, social accounts etc). Make the customer feel valued by not neglecting their questions. The faster you respond to customers enquiries the better you improve the image of your brand and give customer satisfaction.
10. Keep Employee Morale High
Sounds irrelevant? Well, it’s actually not.
While striving to satisfy your customer, understand the need to keep your employees motivated. An unmotivated employee can kill your business faster than you started it. If they’re not scaring customers away with their bad attitude, they’re doing eye service, working only when you’re around.
You cannot do all the jobs by yourself especially customer service and relations.
Here are 10 ways to motivate employees;
- Be respectful, honest and supportive.
- Pay them well.
- Pay them on time.
- Train them.
- Let them feel they’re part of the company and seek their opinion.
- Give bonuses to outstanding employees monthly/quarterly/yearly (as pleases you).
- Make the working environment conducive.
- Give room to grow.
- Recognize their input and achievements.
- Be transparent and never take sides or favour one against the other.
Once your employee is motivated and happy working with you, they’ll naturally transfer the feeling to the customer thereby building good customer relationship.
Also, see 5 Best Ways to Keep Your Customers in Love with Your Service Business
Conclusion
Customer satisfaction must be taken serious if any business wish to grow and retain customers. Improving customer satisfaction shouldn’t be a bank breaking task if you’re well informed. Following the above tips can greatly improve customer retention, good customer relationship which translate to increase in company’s profit.
Need to train your small business employee on good customer relationship, do not hesitate to call on us using the contact us button above.
To your business success.
