Whether the issue is big or small , show your customers that you ’ re always prioritizing them by responding quickly . Even if you can ’ t solve the issue right away , let them know you ’ re working on it or escalating - this will show them you ’ re their advocate . Adopting a customer relationship management software , CRM , is a great way to start managing all of these interactions with your customers . With a CRM , you can record and log all emails and other forms of communication , as well as set up reminders to follow up with specific clients on various issues .
Tools set up for conversational marketing can sync your customer service cases to your CRM as well , allowing you to keep pace with all communications and provide a more delightful customer experience .
Solve for the present and the future
Quick solutions for your customers ’ problems is great in the short term , but that doesn ’ t mean their issues are resolved for the future .
Going beyond the immediate solution to provide information and ways to help your customers manage their challenges - and teach them to do so on their own , if and when possible - is how you can solve for the future , too .
Empower your potential and existing customers with educational resources , recommendations , and tools for success to build your brand ’ s inbound experience . You can do this by writing helpful blog posts , sharing tips on social media , and creating a self-service knowledge base .
The benefits of enabling people to reach their goals and solve their problems ( on their time ), instead of just arming them with facts or having them wait around for service and support , are far-reaching for both your organization and the individual themselves .
Help customers succeed
Make sure you understand why people are buying your product or service to determine how to help them succeed . When you truly understand what it is people need from a product or service like yours , you ’ ll be able to target those pain points and solve for them to exceed customer expectations . To do this , create buyer personas or map the customer journey .
Remember to constantly innovate your products or services , processes , and the overall customer experience to ensure you ’ re delighting people as you grow and evolve over time . Innovation can be large-scale , like when you launch a new product . It can also be smaller scale , like the way you train your new employees to handle customer questions .
Additionally , help customers succeed by providing them with the right educational resources so they know how to reach out to your service and support teams , get the help they want and need , or look for answers to their questions on their own . Your business might provide these educational materials via multichannel customer service ( e . g . chatbots and social media ), a self-service knowledge base , or a blog .
Listen to customer feedback
It can be tough to take critical feedback , but it can also be the difference between your businesses growing or falling behind . If a customer comes to you with a complaint , no matter the size , remember to listen - and don ’ t take it personally . Your customers are paying to use your product or service .
So , when things break or go wrong , they want their inconvenience to be understood and acknowledged with empathy ( and maybe with a discount or kind note thanking them for their patience , too ).
If you ’ re looking for a way to effectively collect and manage customer feedback , you might consider using an automated software . For example , customer feedback software allows you to create and customize surveys that can be linked to the customer ’ s record in the CRM . This gives your customer service team time to research a specific customer ’ s history with your company and come up with an effective response before reaching back out .
Be enthusiastic
Throughout every interaction your business has with potential and current customers , be sure your employees maintain an enthusiastic , positive , and welcoming voice that complements your brand . Precisely what this sounds like ( or looks like ) for your organization depends on your particular brand , industry , and image .
But the take-home message here is this : if you want to create an inbound experience that truly delights , don ’ t be a dictionary - instead , provide a real , warm , personalized , human interaction that respects your user ’ s time and leaves them happy , satisfied , and educated .
Be unexpected
If you want your company to stand out from competitors , then you need to make a lasting impression on your customers . While your primary goal is to solve the customer ’ s problem , you can create a memorable experience by giving customers more than they ever anticipated . Customers expect to see their needs fulfilled , but are truly delighted when your team goes aboveand-beyond in the customer experience .
You can do this by personalizing each customer interaction , and ingraining a customer-centric culture within all parts of your company . For example , personalization software can be used in your emails and on web pages to make content feel like it was designed for your individual users and visitors . By creating one-of-a-kind customer experiences , your business has a better chance of improving overall customer loyalty .
Build a community
People enjoy the feeling of belonging to a community or group . Your company can supplement this positive feeling through community management , or by creating a user community that benefits your customers .
Your community might be used as a resource for sharing useful information or act as a medium for users to submit customer reviews . No matter what your community ’ s function is , fostering a space where customers can interact with one another and your employees adds value to your customer experience and continues to delight these people .
For example , if a customer is considering a purchase , they may ask a question within the community or read through past reviews in the community ’ s forum to form their opinions based on the experiences of other people like them .
Dr . Clifford J . Ferguson is the Managing Partner of Rainmakers , and Board Member of Glad ’ s House Kenya . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Drcliffordjferguson @ me . com .