The customer is always right. This is one of those business clichés that gets thrown around a lot in middle management. The truth is quite different though. The customer is often wrong. But, as a business, it’s important to make their lives easier. This isn’t some noble cause that all businesses should be striving for. And it’s not to make the world a better place. It’s because, if you make your customers’ lives easier, your business will thrive. Here are 14 ways to make your customers’ lives easier.
Empower your employees to make customers’ lives easy
First of all, you need to consider the tools that each employee has to make customers’ lives easier. As a business owner or manager, you can’t be responsible for every customer interaction. You also can’t micro-manage staff members that are taking part in customer service. To help your employees, you need to provide them with the right customer service tools, plenty of helpful information, and the power to give refunds, discounts, store credit, and whatever else it takes to keep the customer happy.
Tailor your interactions to the age of your customer base
If your customers are between the ages of 18 and 30, a print brochure through the post isn’t the right way to reach them. If your customers are 70+, you shouldn’t be posting on Instagram about your latest products. You need to consider how the age of your customers should affect your interactions with them. Reach them in the right places, talk to them in their language, and ensure that you understand their behavior before marketing to them.
A ticket system can help identify problems in different departments
When a customer has a complaint or inquiry, it could be leveled at a specific department. It’s important that your customer service team has a way of keeping track of this. The most useful way is a ticket system that allows the whole business to track a customer complaint/inquiry until it is resolved.
Stop interrogating your customers every time they call
Sometimes it’s better to quickly resolve a customer’s issue, instead of interrogating them. Ask them how they would like the matter to be resolved, then do it. Then, you can get on with more important tasks. If you waste your time trying to find out every detail, you will anger them and waste your own time.
Pre-empt customer behavior and prepare your employees accordingly
This might not be possible on day one. But, as you get to know your customers, you will start to notice patterns in their behavior. You can use this information to arm your customer service employees. Then, they will know what to expect and how best to solve it.
Make information easy to find
It’s important to know what information your customers are looking for. Just because you understand your product and website navigation, it doesn’t mean your customers do. You can test this in multiple ways, but one of the best ways is to ask a new staff member or customer for an honest evaluation. Then, reorganize information so it’s easier to find.
Make sure contact information is up-to-date
If your customers can’t get in touch with you, they might look to one of your competitors. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure that your contact information is up to date and easy to find. Update your website regularly with tools like WordPress and keep on top of your email signature with Office 365 email signature management.
Make sure your employees are trained to know the answers
When a customer contacts a business, they are looking for an answer. That could be an answer to a question about delivery times, product information, or anything else about the business. Every employee that interacts with customers should be trained to answer these questions. Keep a database of questions, so you can provide a detailed FAQ section.
Look at the customer journey
The customer journey is a relatively simple business idea. It starts when a customer becomes aware of your business and it ends when they become an advocate for your business. Along the way, you have to convince them to use your product or service, convert their interest into a sale, and make them loyal customers. Understanding this journey will help you make life easier for the customer.
Consistently measure your customer experience metrics
Nowadays, businesses have access to a huge amount of data about customers. If you aren’t utilizing this data, you are missing out. Customer experience metrics can tell you key information about how to make their lives easier. For example, you might notice that 80% of customers miss out on a deal that would make a product cheaper if they buy in bulk. Making that deal more prominent would save them money.
Give front-line employees the ability to use their initiative
When a customer is frustrated, it’s best to resolve their problem as quickly and effectively as possible. If they have to be referred to a manager, only to explain their situation again, they will become increasingly angry. To combat this, you should give front-line employees the ability to use their initiative. Empower them to help the customer.
Implement live chat
Live chatbots are quickly becoming one of the most important tools in the customer service arsenal. They allow customers to contact a business at all hours of the day with a question. The key to success with this method is providing the chatbot with enough information to solve customer questions and problems.
If you spot a problem, change your processes
If customers consistently complain that products arrive broken, you need to improve your packaging materials. If customers complain that they can’t find product information online, you need to make it more prominent. Every customer complaint is a chance to look at your business and find ways to improve it.
Keep customer satisfaction questions to a minimum
Customer feedback is extremely useful. However, you need to keep in mind that customers don’t want to fill out endless satisfaction questionnaires. Keep questions to a minimum and make it easy for them to opt-out.
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