Today’s customers are bored. They’re bored and mistreated. Customer service – as a whole – has never been worse. Most companies say they care about the customer, but never actually fulfill their promises. From a customer perspective, this is extremely frustrating. From a business perspective, it creates a huge opportunity to step in and fill the void.
It doesn’t take much to impress a customer. You just have to be willing to go above and beyond what your competition is doing. In light of this, here are several ways you can wow your customers and turn them into raving and loyal fans.
- Make the Online Experience Frictionless
Few things kill a customer’s momentum and suppress engagement quite like friction. Friction shows up in many ways, but is essentially any element that gives a digital user reason to pause, feel overwhelmed, and/or experience confusion.
The more you remove friction from your brand’s online experience, the happier customers will be. (It’s why people are loyal to Apple phones, but feel fairly indifferent to Android phones. Apple has an almost obsessive pursuit of removing friction, whereas Android phones are constantly experiencing bugs.)
If you’re serious about removing friction, begin with the one thing you have total control over: your website. We recommend having your website created by a custom website or software development company. While drag-and-drop builders are convenient, they leave a lot to be desired. This is one area where it’s wise to spend.
- Just Listen
One of the best things you can do for your business is listening. By listening to your customers, you gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, pain points, desires, dreams, and goals. You also learn what’s working and what’s not. But in addition to all of these perks, you also show customers that you care.
It’s rare for a business to ask for feedback and then actually listen. If you develop a knack for asking, listening, and applying feedback, you’ll be a unicorn in your industry.
- Do What You Say You’re Going to Do
Want to hear some good life advice that just so happens to be great business advice, too? Do what you say you’re going to do. Seriously, that’s it!
If you make a habit out of doing what you say you’re going to do, you’ll rarely let your customers down. You’ll end up making a name for yourself as the most reliable and trustworthy brand in your space. It won’t happen overnight, but give it a few months, and customers will start to say, wow!
- Respond Quickly
From a customer’s perspective, few things are more frustrating than reaching out to a brand regarding a problem and hearing crickets in return. If you want to impress customers, you need to make a habit out of getting back to them as quickly as possible.
According to a study by Forrester, 45 percent of customers will abandon a purchase if their questions aren’t addressed “quickly.” That’s obviously a relative term – so you’ll have to use your discretion – but the point is to engage a customer as soon as you can. If that’s immediately, then great. If it’s an hour later, so be it. Don’t delay any longer than you must.
- Give Surprises
Everyone loves a good surprise. Be proactive about surprising your customers with good things. This might include an impromptu bonus gift, an automatic discount on a first-time purchase, or a handwritten thank you note expressing gratitude for a repeat purchase. Get creative!
- Show Your Face
Don’t unintentionally sterilize your brand by being too buttoned-up and professional. Transactional customer relationships don’t work in today’s business world. Invigorate customer relations with some personality.
“Customers don’t want to talk to a nameless logo, they want to talk to a person when they talk to an agent or talk to a representative from your company on social media,” CommBox advises. “Using first names, having a fun signature on your email, and responding playfully on social media are all great ways to become more personal.”
If you think you’re being too personal and vulnerable, that’s probably a sign that you’re doing it right. Focus on authenticity and transparency at every step.
Putting it All Together
It doesn’t take a lot to make a customer’s jaw drop in today’s marketplace. They’re so used to being ignored and abused by the competition that even the smallest act may be seen as a monumental gesture. Commit to treating your customers well and good things will happen for you!
About the Author
Mirko Humbert
Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.