It doesn’t take world class entrepreneurial talent to know that generating sales is essential for any business. Unless you’re running a company out of the goodness of your heart or you have an unlimited supply of cash, you’ll need to see good profits year on year and sales will inevitably be a key priority. But with all the will and hard work in the world, without great customer service you’re wasting your time.
Looking after the people who buy into your products and services has always been important, but now the modern consumer has so much choice it’s more so than ever. It’s simple- if customers don’t find the kind of service they expect with you, they’ll take their business elsewhere. That means if you’re asking yourself which should take priority- sales or customer experience- keeping your customers happy wins hands down.Especially when starting out, a lot of business owners are so excited by making their first few sales that they forget that it’s just a small part of a very big picture. One sale is great, but it doesn’t guarantee the customer will come back. It’s relatively easy to get one customer- the tricky bit is to turn them into one who returns. The key is to nurture that buyer right from the start so the process will be repeated- then again, and again. If they really love you they’ll tell their friends and family about how great you are, which means even more customers to look after and even more sales.
Looking after the people who buy into your products and services has always been important, but now the modern consumer has so much choice it’s more so than ever. It’s simple- if customers don’t find the kind of service they expect with you, they’ll take their business elsewhere. That means if you’re asking yourself which should take priority- sales or customer experience- keeping your customers happy wins hands down.Especially when starting out, a lot of business owners are so excited by making their first few sales that they forget that it’s just a small part of a very big picture. One sale is great, but it doesn’t guarantee the customer will come back. It’s relatively easy to get one customer- the tricky bit is to turn them into one who returns. The key is to nurture that buyer right from the start so the process will be repeated- then again, and again. If they really love you they’ll tell their friends and family about how great you are, which means even more customers to look after and even more sales.
Especially when starting out, a lot of business owners are so excited by making their first few sales that they forget that it’s just a small part of a very big picture. One sale is great, but it doesn’t guarantee the customer will come back. It’s relatively easy to get one customer- the tricky bit is to turn them into one who returns. The key is to nurture that buyer right from the start so the process will be repeated- then again, and again. If they really love you they’ll tell their friends and family about how great you are, which means even more customers to look after and even more sales.When people feel valued they’re also much more open to trying out any other products and services you can offer them. This means you can reap huge rewards and grow your business by really focusing on a handful of happy customers- fantastic news if you don’t have a huge marketing budget to blow on a shiny new advertising campaign.
When people feel valued they’re also much more open to trying out any other products and services you can offer them. This means you can reap huge rewards and grow your business by really focusing on a handful of happy customers- fantastic news if you don’t have a huge marketing budget to blow on a shiny new advertising campaign.Really skilled business leaders also understand that customer service is more than simply making sure their purchases are up to scratch and they receive a smile from a frontline sales assistant. It’s about going above and beyond to make sure that your clients feel like they matter; that you really value their input and care about making them happy. That means consistently over delivering, responding quickly to any communications and using data well to really understand who they are, their buying habits and what they want from you. It also means going beyond expectations to deliver something really special and creating emotional connections that turn into lasting relationships.
Really skilled business leaders also understand that customer service is more than simply making sure their purchases are up to scratch and they receive a smile from a frontline sales assistant. It’s about going above and beyond to make sure that your clients feel like they matter; that you really value their input and care about making them happy. That means consistently over delivering, responding quickly to any communications and using data well to really understand who they are, their buying habits and what they want from you. It also means going beyond expectations to deliver something really special and creating emotional connections that turn into lasting relationships.
Customers who are really engaged are the very best ambassador your brand can have. They’re like a team of great marketers who are willing to work for free, and if you have open communication with them they’ll be totally honest with you too. Much in the same way as your best friend will give you the kind of advice you don’t always want to hear but is better for you, in the long run, a loyal customer will happily point out any areas for improvement. Start seeing customers as your friends, and you’ll soon reap the benefits.
To discover how Ethos can help your business develop a winning customer service strategy read more here.
