Regardless of what type of business you're in, the customer experience is an important process. We rely on our customers for much of the business process. Somewhere down the line there is a customer.
You may not call them a "customer", but the end result is your business is affected by a sale or purchase; a transaction of some sort.
If you're selling product, your sale and future sales could be dependent on the customer experience. If the product doesn't work for some reason or shipping issues occur, a negative review could affect your business.
If you are a realtor or a consultant of some sort, how your customer feels about the entire process would be important should you need a referral down the line.
No business is perfect every single time. There are issues to deal with every so often. That's just a fact of life. But it's how you deal with issues and the overall end result can make or break your customer’s experience.
Here are a few things that you can do to reinforce a positive feeling towards your business. It's not just about customer service. It's the overall experience that's going to make a difference.
1. Understand exactly who your customer is so you can relate on their level. From your marketing efforts to your website. This includes not only their age bracket but also what they will expect from you.
2. Don't just do the expected. Do the unexpected. Go over and above what the customer will expect to make a lasting impression.
3. Provide a lasting value to your customers. And old boss used to say, “It's not what you've done for me lately. It's what you've done for me today.” That saying can definitely relate to how your customer remembers you.
4. Ask your customers directly if you have provided everything that they need. Did you miss any opportunity to give them good value and good service? They will tell you.
5. Make sure your employees and/or partners on the same page as far as your customer experience values. If those you work with don't care about the end result, it can affect your entire operation.
These five suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to providing a lasting customer experience. Caring for and caring about your clients is more than just the service end. It is everything about their overall lasting feelings about you and your business.
If you want referrals and long-lasting relationship with customers and clients, your business must be customer focused. You need to want more for them than you want from them. That policy will show in the long run.