It is more important than ever to ensure customer satisfaction in a consumer environment where competition is high and disposable income low.
To have the consumers speak of your company with high regard is the sure way to guarantee success and longevity in business. Ensuring customer satisfaction requires your team’s behaviour to be impeccable, as it is the human-to-human contact and the quality of the service or product which will bring customers back again and again.
Here we list some ways to ensure the best experience for the customer and their satisfaction.
Celebrate the value of politeness
Most people go through their day feeling disconnected. Consequently, one of the greatest assets you can instil in your employees is politeness. A simple “thank you”, “please”, or a door held open can be the difference to an individual.
It shouldn’t be surprising that politeness is valued, though sometimes we must consider these things consciously. Think of a hair stylist, there is the one who stays with you until you pay and then opens the door as you leave, and you think they are your friend. Then, the stylist passes you off to an assistant and doesn’t even acknowledge you as you walk away. The difference between the sense of care and attention is intense.
Remember to smile
Part of this connection is our smile. We deploy a smile far too reluctantly, yet it is the best way to welcome another and to help ease any sense of conflict. On a more complex level, explore with employees how the person can mirror the body language we speak with. Therefore, if there is a need to deal with a lack of satisfaction, we can manage the reaction of others with the way that we choose to stand and the expression we have on our faces.
Encourage patience
When a customer is browsing, there is always a tricky balance of when to engage and when not. There is the need to stay present and look available without hovering. While you should never turn away from an approaching customer, you should not pounce on them either. Part of the talent of serving people and giving them the best experience is knowing when the individual wants to engage.
Avoid “I don’t know” and over promises.
As well as training staff in what to do, it is essential to help your colleagues understand what they shouldn’t do. The first is to say you don’t know the answer to a question. This is not an invitation to lie or fabricate a response; it is a suggestion that the employee seeks out the answer before allowing the customer to leave. Rather than saying, “I don’t know, ” you use the phrase, “Let me find out for you.”
The other thing not to do is related. It would be best if you did not promise what you cannot deliver. Being mindful of what is possible to offer prevents any possibility of disappointment. The best scenarios leave the customer surprised and delighted by over-delivery. Promising what you cannot deliver will never lead to this optimum outcome.
Spot the customer type
There are different customer types and so different ways of offering satisfaction. Knowing the customer type will help you know best how to serve their needs. First, there is the loyal customer who comes back time and again. Now, this might feel like the perfect scenario, yet loyal customers usually demand much better service from you and want the relationship to be nurtured.
The impulse customer will make up the most significant proportion of your clients, so leaving dump bins and ensuring your store layout is optimised for this buyer is an important step. Those looking for a discount will search for the money off labels, so make these bright and bold. These people are unlikely ever to become loyal customers, though you can maximise their desire for a bargain.
The new customer needs a lot of care and attention; you want to make an excellent first impression. This is where all the advice that has come before matters now. Finally, there is the customer who comes having researched in detail what they want. Here, you need to answer questions and reassure the customer with your expertise patiently.
Conclusion
When new customers are so tricky to find, the experience you offer must extend the lifetime value of each person that deals with you. Most of the requirements of a good customer experience are about being a good person and making connections on a human level. The trick is not taking it for granted that this exists in colleagues and training them well to behave the right way to maintain satisfaction.
