While there are lots of important parts of your business, they all center around one common goal: keeping your customers satisfied. They are the voice that can make or break your business - and it all comes down to their satisfaction rates.
It’s not enough to provide amazing products or services: it’s all about creating the perfect customer experience. If you want to achieve high, A+ customer satisfaction ratings, take a look at the best strategies to keep them coming back for more.
Have Open (and responsive) Communication
Consumers are constantly learning about new technology, products, and services, but sometimes doing their own research isn’t enough. They are bound to have gaps in their product knowledge, which is where your employees come into play.
Make it a common practice that your customers can contact a specific number, email, or live chat with your employees during business hours. If they can’t get in touch with one of your team members right away, assure them they will get a response within 24-48 hours, and deliver on that promise.
Rather than risk customer complaints because their concerns weren’t addressed or questions went unanswered, making it company policy to answer customers in a designated time frame will improve overall customer experiences. Creating a space for them to talk to employees will create a sense of trust, and they’ll be more inclined to leave positive reviews and feedback about your company.
Follow Up with Your Customers
Customer service doesn’t end once a sale is made. Achieving high customer satisfaction requires at least two or three follow up emails or phone calls, and sometimes dealing with returns, exchanges, or refunds.
While it’s not ideal for your customers to return products or discontinue your service, it’s better to reach out to them for feedback rather than feel disheartened. See what they thought of their experience, and use their feedback to reevaluate your customer service and experiences.
You’ll be able to improve your products and work on achieving higher customer satisfaction for your future customers. Even if that specific customer doesn’t respond to your initial emails or calls, showing them you care and checking in on their experience with your product speaks volumes about your business.
Provide Opportunities For Customer Feedback
If you want to get high levels of customer satisfaction, provide plenty of opportunities for feedback. Use emails, forms, or polls on social media for them to share their thoughts about your product. Offering multiple ways for customer feedback lets them feel heard, and provides a chance for your business to understand what works or causes friction for your customers.
If you have certain customers that consistently provide feedback, reward their loyalty by providing discounts for their reviews and continued purchases. You’ll increase your customer base by responding to feedback, and rewarding your loyal customers.
Achieving high customer satisfaction isn’t always easy, but the long term benefits of improving customer service will lay the foundation for a successful company. If you want to continue to develop your stellar customer service streak, take a look at whether or not you should give gifts to your customers, and listen to our Growth Made Simple podcast on the value of customer service.
