Going above and beyond for your customers should always be a main staple of your business.
For some business owners, they do in fact go out of their way to meet their customers’ needs. Others, however, do not make that extra effort, sometimes ultimately losing those customers in the process.
While there are myriad of ways you can make customers feel especially wanted, you have to do it without the suggestion of you simply wanting a sale and their money when all is said and done.
Being kind to customers, helping them when they least expect it, and doing all you can to make their experience with you one of their best, those are things you simply need to do.
So, how do you go above and beyond for customers?
Making the Extra Efforts Oftentimes Leads to Rewards
So that you can do everything possible for your customers, here are a few tips to help you along the way:
- Customer service – Above all else, be sure that your customer service initiatives are second to none. As an example, a customer contacts your office after having trouble making an online purchase through your eCommerce store. Instead of leaving them on hold for many minutes, giving them the run-around, or not responding to their initial request for help at all, make sure you address the matter immediately. If a customer goes to make a purchase with you, be it in-person or via your online store, he or she wants a simple credit card processing What customers do not want is feeling like you’re putting them on the backburner, doing things in the meantime that seem more important to you. Remember, customers should always be the top priority when running a business;
- Rewards for the best customers – Many companies have come up with rewards programs for some of their top customers. Whether this means discounts on certain products or services, perhaps a pre-sale to these individuals before items go on sale to the general public, or rewards for those customers who end up renewing with you for another year of service etc. make those who invest rather regularly in your business feel special. If customers feel like they are truly being taken care of, they are more apt to let their family and friends know about it, thereby leading to you possibly picking up some new business along the way;
- Reviewing your website regularly – Yes, you’re a busy individual running a business, but you can’t use that as an excuse to have a limp website. Always keep in mind that your website is essentially your online business card to the world. As a result of this, it needs to be functioning properly on a regular basis. Pages that take forever to upload, broken links, making it difficult to find contact information on your site, these are all glitches that can ultimately lead customers elsewhere. Be sure to regularly review your website, looking to see if there are any notable hiccups on there. Put yourself in the customer’s seat for a moment. If you go on a site prepared to make a purchase, isn’t it frustrating to get all the way to the checkout stage, only to have it not work? Make sure your site is not the one that has this scenario occurring on a regular basis. Also check your site to make sure it is providing worthwhile information to your customers, including blog articles. Your articles should focus specifically on your industry, along with how you are making things better for customers and improving their buying experiences.
If your business has been lagging a bit in going out of the way for customers, you still have time to change that.
From making their credit card purchases with you fast and secure to rewarding them for being devoted customers, there is so much you can do on a daily basis to treat your customers the right way.
In turn, many of them will continue doing business with you moving forward.
If that sounds like a prescription for success, it surely is.
About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.
