Are you really “customer focused”? Or is that just a part of your mission statement because you thought it sounded good, but have no idea how to really implement it? While surveys show a majority of customers would pay more for a better customer experience, only 1 percent of those customers thought their current vendors were actually doing a good job. Remember, when customers choose a small business instead of a larger one, they’re usually looking for a personalized and better customer experience. Here’s how to give it to them:
- Start by making a list of all the reasons a customer would choose your service or product over another.
- Conduct a customer focus group or informal survey among your loyal customers and ask them the same question: Why do they keep buying from you? The answer may not be the one you think.
- Don’t stop asking questions. “How did that product or service work out for you?” “Was there anything you would have liked done differently or better?” “Anything you didn’t need?”
- Figure out how your products or services actually help your customers.
- Treat each customer like you’re starting a long-term relationship, and not just selling for the short term.
- Use a good CRM program to take notes on customers, and make those files accessible to all your employees.
- Make sure customer focus is a priority for everyone in your company.
- If you lose a customer don’t just let it go. Try to figure out why you lost them and adjust your customer focus accordingly.