What does it take to provide exceptional customer service?

#customerservice #customerexperience #customersatisfaction

With customers having more choices than ever, most people have come to expect great customer service from companies. Top-notch customer service will go a long way in building, improving and nurturing long-term business relationships. Customer service values are at the heart of every customer experience and should be an indispensable part of every interaction. Below are customer service values that are critical to providing an outstanding customer experience.

Respect

Respect is a core value of exceptional customer service. Being kind and courteous costs nothing but can make all the difference in delivering a great customer experience. Your attitude towards customers is just as important as the product or service you sell. Rude disrespectful behavior doesn’t just have a negative impact on the customer experiencing it —it can also have damaging effects on businesses as a whole.

Whether or not you end up earning their business, it’s important to always treat all prospective clients with the same respect and courtesy. Even if an interaction ends up being unproductive on both sides, a pleasant, respectful customer experience sets the tone for future interactions and ensures that they will be well-received.

Let people know you value their time. Simple gestures like responding promptly, keeping conversations concise and relevant, honoring commitments, or perhaps providing value to customers right off the bat can establish trust and respect which will eventually open the door to potential business opportunities.

Positive, personalized experiences

 A positive customer experience is crucial to customer satisfaction. Having a base of satisfied customers is your best resource in growing your business. If someone has a remarkably positive experience with a company, they will most likely become a repeat customer. 

They can also help get the word out about your business as they share their experience with family, friends or post about it on social media. Customer satisfaction helps establish an emotional bond with your business and is easily one of the most effective ways to encourage customers to continue doing business with you.

Delivering a highly personalized experience lets customers know that you are attuned to their needs. People appreciate when a company makes them feel seen and valued. Interactions that are unique, attentive and anticipatory, give a strong impression that you understand your customer’s needs and have the capacity to give them what they want and meet them where they are.

Nurturing relationships

After putting in the time and effort to win over customers, the next hurdle is to keep them active and engaged. Remind them of your relevance and the value you bring to the table. Staying in touch with customers creates a steady stream of awareness. This reminds them of their pre-existing relationship with you. It also allows customers to see the value in maintaining the relationship they have with you.

Small gestures, like keeping in touch via email, creating helpful content (product tips, how-to guides, ebooks, articles) and social media engagement, can go a long way in strengthening relationships with existing customers.  

Tending to existing customers is crucial to the long-term success of any business.Consistently show how appreciative you are of the time, attention and hard-earned money they’ve spent to support your business. Don’t forget that they chose to give you their business over the other options available to them.