If you want loyal customers that are dedicated to your brand, then you need to be doing everything it takes to deliver the best customer experience.
While you may think this simply involves creating a superior product or service and providing it with a smile on your face, there is, in fact, a lot more to CX (customer experience) than meets the eye.
From seeking out employee feedback to utilizing a telephone answering service, keep reading to find out four ways that you can improve your customer experience and blow your competition out of the water.
1. Value employee feedback
Think about who deals with your customers on a daily basis. Of course, it is your employees, so you need to listen to what they have to say about your business and its customers.
While you may find that some employees are very forthcoming with their opinions, others may need a little encouragement to share their experiences on the frontline. There are several techniques that you can use to gain employee feedback, including:
- Send out employee feedback surveys
- Carry out regular employee appraisals
- Set up an employee suggestion box
2. Provide 24/7 support
In today’s day and age, consumers want their queries answered sooner rather than later. Therefore, if you want your business to stand out from the crowd, you need to be offering round-the-clock assistance.
While this may seem impossible, there is, in fact, a very simple solution; hire a Virtual Receptionist. Arguably one of the smartest moves a small business can make, a virtual receptionist service will enable you to offer unrivaled customer service and ensure that you are there for your customers 24/7.
Other benefits of a virtual receptionist include:
- You can cater to international clients
- You can provide consistently high levels of customer service
- You can save money
3. Utilize the latest tech
Even though the latest technologies can seem expensive, if you can afford to invest, they are guaranteed to save you money over time, and they will have a hugely positive effect on your customer experience.
From AI (artificial intelligence) to AR (augmented reality), there are so many technological innovations that you can take advantage of to make your customer experience more rewarding.
Some of the most useful technology for an improved customer experience are:
- The Cloud
- Chatbots
- Virtual and augmented reality
- Voice search
4. Foster an emotional connection
Have you ever heard the expression “it’s not what you say but how you say it”? Well, this couldn’t be more true than when it comes to delivering a great customer experience. In fact, research shows that more than 50% of any experience is based on an emotion, so you need to make sure you are establishing a strong emotional connection if you want to drive sales.
Ways in which you can create an emotional connection with your customers include:
- Use personalized advertising
- Tell your brand story
- Understand your target audience
- Listen to their feedback and quickly act on it
- Deliver on your promises.