Unwrapping customer satisfaction at Christmas

Amazon's Jeff Bezos once said:

We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.

Jeff’s Christmas parties are probably pretty spectacular - who needs Santa when you can deliver presents by drone? - but whatever the size of your business, there’s an important message to be found in his vision of customer satisfaction.

This year’s spun by pretty fast, with only 63 days to go until Christmas. It’s a busy time no matter what your industry, with availability, seamless execution and exceptional customer service all top of the corporate Christmas list as the holiday season approaches.

The unique challenges of the months leading up to Christmas can mean make-or-break time for many businesses. Inspired by the ubiquitous Christmas party, here are some seasonal - but mistletoe-free - ways to increase satisfaction and keep your customers close.

Invite your family to the party

It’s tempting to stick to mates at Christmas, but if you leave out your aunty then your place on next year’s present list could be at risk. Your customers want the best available service, and they’re usually more than willing to tell you how you could improve - so embrace their feedback by making sure you’re always available to listen. Many different services offer you the opportunity to collect ultra-fresh customer feedback, often during the shopping experience itself, so make use of your customers’ goodwill and show them that you’re listening to their suggestions.

Talk to everyone

We all know the feeling - a good host should definitely mingle, but what’s the harm in staying near the mince pies (or the mulled wine) and letting people come to you? Such a louche attitude is never a good idea in business, but at Christmas - when professional and personal commitments mean time is short - it’s especially important to make everyone feel special. It’s one thing to collect customer feedback and act on it, and quite another to close the loop by telling your customers how much you appreciate their input and how you’ve been able to implement it.

Don’t avoid the taboo

Christmas dinner wouldn’t be the lovably dysfunctional event that it is without the occasional taboo subject being raised. An un-PC relative is one thing, but if you hear something you don’t like from a client or customer then it’s vital you find the right response. Collecting customer feedback inevitably means fielding the occasional negative or even insulting comment, and the worst thing you can do is ignore these unfortunate but vitally important insights. Whatever your customers have to say, always try to turn a negative into a positive and, even if you can’t fix the problem right away, make sure that every individual knows they’re being listened to.

Give something back

Christmas is a time for planning ahead and readying yourself for the year to come. Whether your business deals with the public or other companies, your customers will be dealing with the same challenges as you, from tight budgets to increased responsibilities. As a customer, it’s easy to forget that the businesses you deal with are run by real people with many of the same experiences, so take time out at Christmas to connect with your customers and make sure you’re in tune with their needs. If you can provide a demonstrably first-class service at Christmas - when nobody has the time or money to deal with second-best - you’re putting yourself in a great position for the coming year.

Tradition is a good thing

Part of the reason we love Christmas traditions is that they make everything feel more secure. Why else would you carry on eating your mother-in-law’s dry turkey every year? Your customers are just the same; they want to know they can find the same dependable service each year, and if they’re not happy they won’t stick around. 91% of unhappy customers will never come back to give you a second chance, so make sure you establish a tradition of attentive customer service within your own company. Look at Father Christmas - with the repeat business he gets, he must have an entire department of elves working on QA and listening to customer feedback.

With the right attitude and enough of those brilliant bacon-wrapped chipolatas, you can turn the holiday season into a great opportunity for your company. Although it’s a busy time of year, making the right decisions now will ensure that you’ve got plenty of happy and satisfied customers to see you into the new year.

This article was originally published here: https://www.ratingsplus.com/unwrapping-customer-satisfaction-christmas/