Customer Experience

In modern business, reviews are currency. You can guarantee the majority of potential customers will head online before handing over money. And, when they do, reviews will be the first thing they come to. But, they won’t go any further if you have more than a few bad reviews. Why would they? They’ve heard it from people just like them that you aren’t worth their time.

Of course, no company can make everyone happy, all the time. There are going to be bad at least a few bad reviews. Your customers know there’s no pleasing some people. When do bad reviews get damaging? If you have more than a handful floating about out there, they hold a little more weight. Another warning sign is if all those reviews make similar accusations. This will show customers that these aren’t just people wanting a moan, but genuine grievances. And, that’ll lead to lost custom in no time.

So, what can you do to ensure bad reviews don’t happen? For one, you can avoid the following three red-areas.

Bad customer service

The most common cause of negative reviews is bad customer service. Consumerism may have changed in recent years, but we all still value decent service. If you or your employees fail to provide it, the bad reviews will come rolling. Bear in mind that you need to consider the large and the small here. You need to provide knowledgeable service. As such, you should invest in staff training as much as possible. But, little things also count, like a smile and a friendly demeanor. A lot of the time, all it takes to seal bad reviews is a slightly brisk staff manner. So, make sure you’re all happy campers!

Negligence

If negligence cases crop up in your history, you can be sure business will drop it like its hot. Some things stick, and negligence is definitely one of them. If a customer receives an injury in your store, or from your product, you’ll struggle to shake the negative backlash. If a case is severe enough to warrant a customer employing service of a Derrick law firm personal injury attorney, or any other representation, you’re in big trouble. Indeed, if that news leaks into your reviews, you can kiss goodbye to success. Make sure it doesn’t happen by keeping your physical space as safe as possible, and safety testing products rigorously.

Failing products

Above all, customers head to reviews to see if your product is worth their money. So, countless reviews stating that your goods don’t work are sure to send them away. You can be sure that aggrieved customers will want the world to know about your shoddy products. Of course, avoiding this is easy enough. You just have to ensure your product provides the services you claim. That means more testing, and taking time over manufacturing processes. You should also aim to develop and improve products at every turn. And, you should test and test again on each change you make!

There can be no argument that one of the most vital things in all of business is to bring in as many customers as possible. However it’s not just the numbers that count; you also want to make sure that you are bringing in the kind of customers that you want for your business. If you are wondering what that means, we are referring to having the customers that your business needs and deserves. The caliber and quality of the customers is hugely important as it ensures the likelihood of your business being able to continue in the same vein in future. With that in mind, let’s look to how you can make sure that you get the customers you deserve and need for the success of your business.

Understand Your Goals

The better that you know what you are actually trying to do in business, the more likely it is that you will be able to attract those who are keen on that kind of product or service. Being clearer in your goals means that you will automatically begin to act in ways which draw in the kind of people you need in your business, and this includes both customers and employees. So the first step here is to make sure that you fully understand what your goals are, and why they are what they are. As long as you do, you can be certain that you will start to draw in the customers that your business needs, and that will mean that your business has a much stronger base from which to work.

Focus On The Right Leads

There is much to be said for trying to get leads, but you need to make sure that you are approaching it in the right way. As well as finding enough leads, they need to be of a decent quality, otherwise there is really no point at all. Of course, that is easier said than done – but the trick is to simply make sure that your lead generation and forensics is the right kind for your business. For this, it helps to look at how much it is likely to set you back. If you feel that the Lead Forensics pricing is not suitable, then it is unlikely that it will really help you in the long run, and the same is true if it is not delivering in the4 way that you would ideally hope. Focus on your methodologies here for a better future.

Go Wider

Of course, there is still much to be said for the act of going wider as a means to bringing in more of the customers you need. The wider you cast your net, after all, the more likely it is that you will end up with the customers you actually deserve in your business, so that is worth considering as much as anything else. If you feel that you could do with looking wider, then make sure you do so – but don’t just do it randomly. Instead, focus on those areas where you are most likely to find the people most interested in your business and its various goals.

As the company’s owner, you of course will think your business is fantastic. It’s your idea, your passion, you’ve put your heart and soul into your venture- but when it comes down to it, it’s the customer’s opinion that’s important. These are the people who will be buying your products or services, who will be making you a profit. It’s their custom that depicts whether you’re a success or failure. But what exactly are they looking for?

An Intuitive, Visually Pleasing Website

It’s no longer just an added bonus to have a good company website, these days it’s something that is absolutely crucial to the success of your business. Research has shown that almost half of people will click off a website if it doesn’t load within a few seconds, with slow and badly designed sites being so off-putting that they would never return. We live in an age of instant gratification; you need to give people want they want. For this reason, your website needs to be fast, as well as intuitive with important information being easy to find.  Don’t forget links to your social media pages and ‘about’ with your business information.

An Interesting App

The big branded names of the world got their foot in the door long ago when it came to the mobile app market. Many smaller businesses still haven’t got on board, which is exactly why you should. Not only are you giving the customer what they want- a reliable way to contact and easy access to your products- it also makes your brand appear much more trustworthy. More sales are now made on smartphones and tablets than laptops and computers, a fact you simply can’t ignore if you want to be a success.

Great Customer Service

A friendly and reliable customer service team can really help tp build up people’s opinion of your brand. Sometimes things go wrong, having a reliable and helpful human to sort the issue for them will go a long way in how they view you as a business. You could have a Twitter help page solely for queries, and a live chat feature as well as people on the telephones during business hours. If you are a local business like a shop, employee name badges like these on Aquarius Media can make the customer’s shopping experience more personal.

Real Customer Reviews

One thing customers are likely to do before shopping with you for the first time is read reviews. That way they are able to see for themselves what kinds of experiences past customers have had with you. If you put out good service consistently you will naturally build up good reviews, you could also ask customers too if they would mind leaving one. Facebook business pages have a review section that you could ask people to write in. Otherwise, third-party review sites like Trustpilot are useful.

Have you given much thought to what customers are looking for in a business, aside from great products or services?

Businesses must continually work to attract consumers and convert them into happy customers. The business that fails to make a lasting impression is the business that increases its chances of being put on the chopping block. Sometimes that’s figurative and sometimes it’s very literal. Unhappy investors may try to force a sale of the business for lack of sufficient customer growth and venture capitalists may try to encourage  the founders of the business to consider what’s called in the entrepreneurial or startup world “pivoting,” that is, switching directions and going in a new product or service direction, one hopefully more profitable. While conventional means of drawing interest from customers, such as providing good customer service, a knowledgeable technical support team and good deals, are used time and time again, these features aren’t what always keep customers around, or create “stickiness.” There are more surefire ways to improve customer satisfaction that most businesses, no matter what the size, miss on a routine basis.

Here are three missed opportunities to improve overall customer satisfaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

When visitors drop by a website, they may find entire sections on the business’s services and products. For retail sites, there will be information about return policies and tons of product images to seduce visitors into parting with their debit or credit cards and buying some merchandise. What visitors may not find, however, is an FAQ section. Some sites have one, but the vast majority do not. That’s a huge missed opportunity. Here’s why: Everyone in business will agree that listening to the customers is arguably the most paramount way to improve customer satisfaction. What better way to show that a business is really listening to its customers than to post a section where their pertinent questions are addressed. The section is a vehicle for not only demonstrating that the business is listening, but more important, that it’s responding, something that’s even more valued. An FAQ section also enables the business to save time and costs; there’s no need for the support team to field routine questions on products and services if there’s a central location where consumers and customers can have these questions answered.

Credit Card Processing

Today, fewer people are using cash for transactions. Technologies are being put into place to make society as cashless as possible, it seems. Witness Android Pay and Apple Pay and a host of other payment “wallets” that enable customers to buy without ever having to whip out either a greenback or even a piece of plastic for that matter. If a business lacks a way for customers to pay with a debit or credit card, it’s money down the drain. It’s imperative to meet people where they are, not where the business is, so if customers are reaching for debit or credit cards more and more these days, then businesses should be accommodating them with sufficient means to accept both cash and credit cards. In line with that, a business would do well to make sure it works with a good credit card processing company to ensure frictionless transactions and, therefore, a seamless customer experience.

Product Demonstrations

Seeing is believing. There’s no better way to show potential customers what a product or service can do than with an actual demonstration. You see this sometimes online on sites that are trying to sell you some kind of technology product or maybe it’s a course you’re being invited to take. Demos are given in-store, as well. Think of grocery stores like Costco that have become now known for its tasty samples that it provides to customers completely free in the hopes that customers will purchase the item. A demo gives customers valuable hands-on experience, which they may need to make up their minds about whether to buy. Nothing really compares to this sales tool. It should be said though that not every demo is a good demo. The best demos emphasize the benefits to consumers and don’t bombard them with every feature or functionality of the product. Demos that fail to connect with potential customers’ real needs won’t produce sales.

Wrap-up

There may be countless ways for businesses to attract potential customers. However, there are fundamental ways that they miss out on opportunities that could produce meaningful connections with consumers. Employing an FAQ section on its website shows the public that the business is listening and responding to them. By accepting other forms of payment beyond cash, and more specifically, by accepting credit cards, a business can significantly increase its sales opportunities. Sales can be further enhanced by using strategic demos to help eliminate any concerns that the public may have about the product being offered.

As a startup; your primary concern should be your customers, and attracting potential new patrons along the way. With so much competition out there; it’s vital that you do all you can to stand out from the rest so that you can make an impact on the market, and become an appealing option for consumers. As a fresh, new business; you likely have strength in your brand identity, and beginning to build followers across your social media. Therefore, you now need to focus on those little extras that make all the difference to the customer experience with your company, and ensure you get return consumers who’d happily recommend you to others.

Set yourself apart from the average high street store; people have seen it all before and know what to expect. You need to make sure that you’re giving people what they want from a business, and exceed expectations whenever possible. The following are some ideas and tips for those who want to give their startup a boost and need a helping hand in the process.

Ensure Everything Is Straightforward

The easier the experience your visitors have when they shop with you, the more they’ll appreciate it, and will return to invest in your brand. Therefore, you need to keep on top of all the processes that customers have to complete when shopping in person, or online in your store. Take a look at sites like merchants.services to ensure that you have the best merchant service for your brand, and your patrons can pay on their credit or debit card with ease.

Keep your contact details clear and present at all times; people will become aggravated if it’s a challenge to get in touch, so ensure it’s a simple process. Whatever the call to actions are within your website; they need to be straightforward and quick to complete. A frustrated visitor won’t hesitate to leave your site and shop elsewhere if they find things difficult, so bear that in mind.

Excel in Customer Care And Service

If your contact details are clear, and customers can contact you with ease; you’ll need to impress them once you hear from them. Go above and beyond to assist, advise, and help each patron, and make sure they understand how much you value their custom and investment. Many people communicate through social media; so stay true to your friendly demeanor, and engage with questions, answers, and responses on each of your platforms. Take a look at sites like altitude.com and discover what people expect from brands through social media. You want to be an approachable, people-led startup, so make sure you keep the conversation going and focus on service and care.

Surprise With Deals And Offers

There’s nothing more tempting than a great deal or special offer to tempt new and existing customers through your virtual door. Therefore, you need to figure out some feasible marketing tactics for your startup and implement surprising and fresh ideas on a regular basis. Keep impressing your consumers with the little things for customer loyalty and growth in your brand.