Your customers are the lifeline of your business; they grow and sustain your company when they’re treated as a priority. Whether you’re a startup or a large corporation, any successful business owner knows that success starts when you put your customers first. Happy customers rake in extra income for your business, and that’s why you need to ensure that your customers fall in love with your brand.
But exactly how do you do that? Read on to find proven techniques for turning your customers into advocates for your brand, through quality customer service.
Know who your customers are
When you don’t know who your customers are, what they want, and what they need, how are you supposed to properly meet their expectations? Effective communication is vital when you want to improve your customer service. To get to the heart of who they are, you need to talk to them.
Customer interviews and a simple follow up call can do wonders for maintaining a solid customer service approach. Displaying efforts to reach out to them will tell them a lot about your company. You need to be clear that the point of the conversation is not to sell them anything, but instead to gather information aimed at enhancing their overall experience. It’s a great representation of your company’s ability to empathise and allows you to establish a relationship they will genuinely care about.
Train your front-line staff
You need to set an example and make sure the rest of the team follows suit. Hone your team’s skills around conflict resolution, and cultivate a culture where employees are empowered to exceed customer expectations. When your front lines are trained well, your patrons will remember them.
Listen to customer feedback
Feedback is a great tool to improve your customer service and your overall business. With this in mind, remember that there will always be negative comments thrown your way. When this happens, don’t be disheartened. Instead, use them to your advantage. Receiving feedback, whether positive or negative, can help your business grow if you choose to learn from it.
Respond quickly
In an age where social media holds so much power, you can easily connect with your patrons on various social media platforms. Customers are using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Google reviews to talk about your brand. Responding to their concerns promptly to offer solutions can be crucial to improving your customer service.
Reward your customers
A great way to show your appreciation for those who support your brand is through a rewards program. You can give them gift cards, vouchers, coupons, and reward points to make them feel that they’re important to your business. You can also offer incentives to customers who refer your business to others. This can stimulate the flow of revenue, and encourage customer loyalty.
Continue to engage
It’s not enough to just gain customers. The best way to cultivate them at the highest level is to turn them into brand advocates. How? Make sure to implement continued engagement as part of your customer service. Offer them exclusive deals; invite them to special events such as launch parties or closed-door sales. Engaging with your regular customers can transform them into advocates, which can build your reputation and yield more income for your business.
Always go the extra mile!
Enhancing your customer service can dramatically increase customer retention, and improve customer satisfaction. Once you close the deal with a new customer, you can’t afford to lose them. Going the extra mile to change a customer’s negative experience, or transform their ordinary experience into a memorable one can boost their confidence in your brand, inspiring them to build long-term relationships with you.
At Bartercard, you can initiate a loyalty rewards program where you can offer your valued customers to deals they can’t resist! We have multiple locations across Australia, such as Bartercard Sydney, Melbourne, and more! Widen your network, build your presence, gain referrals, and double your revenue! Contact us today!
