Customer service is often overlooked by a number of new entrepreneurs, often because you’re being pulled in a number of different directions when starting your own business. However, we all know that customer service – outstanding customer service – can be a paramount ingredient to sustained business success. It can also be a differentiating characteristic for your startup. Look at companies such as Zappos, Amazon and Nordstrom, for example. Each of these companies is well known for stellar customer service. It is part of their brand culture and identity. It’s also a pathway for brand loyalty and success. Therefore, learning to make customer service a priority at all times, even in the early days of your startup, could potentially shape and influence the future of your entire venture.
So, how can you provide the optimal level of customer care? Follow these three simple strategies, and you’ll be destined for greatness (or at the least, your customers will think you’re great!)
Track Data
While your customers all share some common features, not least a love of your brand and products, it’s important to remember that each individual is unique. Unfortunately, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to customer care. Tracking data allows you to create personalized interactions with each customer, including how the customer interacts with your brand.
Modern technology and database software enables you to record a number of metrics, such as communication preferences (email, phone, sms) and interests (shops for men’s clothes, high average transaction price). In addition to grouping customers based on demographics, you can tailor how they interact with your website, how you communicate with them, and what type of information you provide.
You can keep elaborate and detailed transaction histories, support ticket summaries, and issue logs; all designed to provide you a better background on the customer. In a service based business, keeping detailed customer profiles makes for more efficient support down the road, and more intimate conversations and meaningful relationships.
Those notes can be used to make group marketing efforts feel more personalized. More importantly, it allows you to provide the best service for the individual time and time again. This can only promote your chances of retaining their loyalty.
Build A Rapport
Providing a customer care service that satisfies individual customer preferences is one thing, but actively building a rapport is another altogether. Having a system that tracks all of the past conversations allows you to recall those prior interactions and provide consistency even when a case is handled by several employees across multiple departments.
Alternatively, if using face-to-face or telephone communication, using the same agent throughout the process gives the client a sense of reassurance. From their perspective, there’s nothing more frustrating than taking backward steps due to being shifted from one department or representative to another.
On a similar note, knowing what they’ve bought or having accurate lists of their services previously used in the past, opens the door to more targeted marketing. Promoting similar items or accessories for previous purchases is likely to generate far greater conversions than random promotions. This will certainly aid the connection shared between client and consumer. This is also marketing 101 and a must for new startups. Detailed customer transaction records and profiles will also empower you to leverage those relationships for cross-sell opportunities and providing them with thank yous or incentives tailored to their interests down the road.
Go Beyond Expectations
The harsh reality is that most customers expect you to provide a good level of customer care as a baseline – it’s expected. Failure to meet those expectations will inevitably see them take their business elsewhere. I see this more and more with younger generations such as Millennials and Generation Z. These younger consumers (and now often at the end of a B2B relationship as well), not only expect tailored and personalized service, they are vocal when they don’t receive. You don’t want to double your customer acquisition spend by paying to acquire the same customer twice. Conversely, exemplary service with this demographic can result in positive reviews that’ll bring new customers or referrals. The best marketers of your product are your current customers which will significantly reduce your acquisition cost.
The personal relationship certainly reinforces the commitment to clients and your appreciation of them. Overtly thanking them in creative ways through special deals and loyalty programs can be a win-win scenario. Spontaneous and surprise thank you notes, gifts or promotions can generate a significant amount of goodwill boosting brand affinity. Give clients something for free or treat them as more than a customer, and those gestures will be met by an increased love of the brand. In turn, this will aid conversion rates, retention success, and the general success of the company.
