The term ‘customer experience’ has become increasingly popular in 2017, and its popularity comes as no surprise. Companies which implement a sound customer experience strategy achieve better customer satisfaction and, in turn, are able to retain existing customers and entice new ones. According to research done by Podium, 68% of consumers are willing to pay more for a better experience. More companies are taking note of this fact, and are investing heavily into creating an effective customer experience strategy. With this is in mind, we outline a few essentials you need to remember to create an effective customer experience strategy.
Who are your customers?
If you aren’t 100% sure who your customers are, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to offer them a tailored and enjoyable experience. Different target markets have different needs, wants and expectations, and any winning strategy will have taken this into account. If you’ve recently changed your branding, your messaging or even your advertising times, your customers may have changed, and you need to understand who they are in order to provide them with the answers and experiences they want.
One of the most successful ways to figure out who exactly buys your product or service, is to chat to your customer contact centre. The people who spend their working lives in contact with your customers will know exactly what demographic they are, their likes, dislikes and, most importantly, their grievances.
Evaluate your company vision
Having a clear vision for your company will help you to have a clear strategy for customer service. If your company currently doesn’t have a set of goals and ideals, then it’ll be more difficult for your employees to offer clear, concise and enjoyable experiences. These goals need to align with the kind of product or service you offer, and how you’d like your organisation to be seen. Every employee should know these goals, and should integrate them into every interaction they have with a customer.
If you’re unsure where to start, think about the type of service and experience you’d like to receive, and then work out values that fit into this. These values should include how your service should be delivered, and how you want your customers to be treated at every step of their buying journey.
Take note of customer and employee feedback
Many companies receive an enormous amount of feedback, but don’t necessarily act on it. Gathering insights about your customer’s journey from both the customers themselves as well as the employees that deal with them, can be invaluable. Without these first hand insights, companies can lose track of the people who really matter to the success of their business. Receiving and analysing feedback should be a task that happens all year ‘round, and not only at the end of the year. This way, any customer dissatisfaction can be dealt with immediately, reducing the risk of losing customers.
Whether your contact centre is in-house or you make use of business process management managed offsite, invest in technology that allows customers and employees to log suggestions, reviews and feedback. In this way, both customers and employees will feel valued, and you will receive real-time feedback on what may be hindering your business or what is going extremely well. This type of feedback can help you plan for your business’s future according to what the people who are in daily contact with it feel.
Customer expectations can be extremely high, and if your business does not meet their expectations they are quick to turn to a competitor. A customer experience strategy that focuses on who your customers are, what their feedback has to say, and how your vision aligns with them will keep you in good stead for the future. Nurture these practices and they will in turn help you provide a winning strategy for your company.
