This week we continue the discussion on the value of customer service and the value of analysing your company’s customer journey to ensure your company is achieving amazing customer service. We discuss the second half of the elements of the customer journey discussion that we started last week. If you missed the first part please get in touch and we can send this to you.
Key Stages Of The Customer Journey
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Dealing With Customer Resistance
How do you deal with your customers when they don’t agree with your approach or are delaying on confirming a contract. Often I see clients chasing the customer and what is our natural reaction when we are chased? We run away – our customers are the same! Ensuring you follow up with your customers is key but don’t hound them all the time as this will make the customer feel pressurised. Giving the customer the control and space they need will enable to make the decision they feel comfortable with and to build trust in you.
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Developing Your Customers
Once your customer has committed to working with you it is vital that you continue to focus on the relationship and add value. Developing your customer includes doing things they don’t expect, sending relevant information to them, regular updates and considering what they need not just what we want to sell them. Tailor your communication and approach to every client – one size does not fit all when you are trying to build key relationships.
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Customer Feedback & Testimonials
Asking your customers for ongoing feedback is a great way of altering and improving the service you are delivering to constantly be exceeding their expectations. Also, when we have established the relationship a nice way of asking your customer to affirm the value you have added for them is to request a testimonial. Ask your customers to answer 3 to 4 questions to demonstrate the difference you have made and the type of service you deliver. If your customer is keen to do this it means they are recommending you to others and willing to share their experience of working with you – this is a big deal!
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Follow Up
Where some businesses slip up is in their follow up with customers. You may highly invest in marketing and attracting new customers but how are you following up and keeping the customers you already have? Follow up may be a simple call once a month, email to show you are considering your customers needs or forwarding an article to them that you think they may enjoy. Regular follow up ensures you stay in the mindset of your customer which will lead to more opportunities and in turn more sales. It’s simple keep in touch and do what you say you will!
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Growing existing customers
Again I have seen new clients share their business development statistics and I often am staggered to see the number of existing customers that are spending very little or have been quiet for a long time. If you can follow up, keep in touch and put a real focus on developing your relationships your existing customer relationships should see growth year on year in terms of their spend. Also, they loyal customers will become your unpaid sales force and bring their colleagues, friends and family to do business with you too.
If you look after your customers, your customers will also look after you. Build strong relationships and analyse what is working well with your customer journey and what you could be doing differently. If you would like to discuss your business’ customer journey please do get in touch: info@brightsideinspiration.com