How do your customers feel about you?

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”                                                                    Maya Angelou

What a profound quote for business today and creating the Customer Experience. This is what our Black Tie Experience training is all about.

No longer it is “just good enough” to serve the customer.  In fact, the customer experience needs to happen not only with the customer, but with the prospect, vendor and co-worker.  Why?

Everything that we do, whether as individuals or companies, can now be observed for everyone to see via social media.  Here is the challenge however.  Some of the people in our companies don’t necessarily believe this.  If they did, there would not be a negative review on Yelp, Yahoo or any of the social media sites today.  Why?  They would be treating every customer and prospect wonderfully.

So what can we do so that people never forget the positive way you make them feel?

It first starts with training.  And not just the typical “customer service” training.  It is a training on your company culture and mindset.  In this training, you need to let everyone know -

• What your brand is all about
• What is expected of all employees when it comes to protecting and enhancing the brand in the marketplace
• What is the purpose (and not the function) of everyone in your company related to delivering a powerful and positive customer experience.

Employees also needs to understand what the company is all about, and they need to become empowered and engaged in the mission of the company.  If they feel passionate in their jobs, (as well as shown appreciation) it will show in how they serve and act towards the prospect, customer or coworker.

Too often we see companies in a rush to hire and train people.  Do you know that for every $100 in compensation (sales), the average company spends less than $.50 of this money on training?  Compare this to “world-class” customer service companies who spend about $5 of that $100 on training their employees.  These companies consider it an “investment” in their people and their clients.  And it shows.

How do you make your customers feel?  Are you building a loyal relationship with them (where they have the opportunity to also become a raving fan) or it is a “1 and done” transaction?  There are many different factors that go into building loyal customers and here are just a few of them. (Our workshops and seminars on The Customer Experience go into detail on how to create this experience.)

(Based on what type of product or service you offer, one or two of these may not apply to your business.)

#1- Make it personal- Get to know more about your client than just his or her name. What do they like to eat, drink, do, etc.?  Know the birthdate and/or the anniversary of when they became a customer with you and celebrate these events.

#2- Be Proactive, not Reactive- I call this - “the vision.” Can you anticipate your customers needs before they can? Or are you always reacting to their them?

#3- Ask this question- How else can I help you today?  And it may not have anything to do with your business, but it has everything to do with theirs.  Who can you connect them with to solve a problem that they may be experiencing?

#4- Handle last-minute requests with…Professionalism.  That can be challenging at times, especially when clients change their minds, and orders… a lot.  But they can pick up poor body language cues and non-verbal communication, even on the phone.  Make sure your people handle these requests with a smile on their face, no matter what they may be really thinking about your customer.

#5- Thank them!- This doesn’t always mean with gifts (although those are always nice).  It could also be in the forms of a special price on a product or service they order from you.  It could be special recognition on your website or social media sites.  It could be having their favorite beverage and snack waiting for them the next time they come to your office (or when you visit them).

These are just a few ways to not only build loyal customer/client relationships (and friendships), but to make people feel better about you and your company brand than they do about your competitor.

You want your customers (and your employees) to feel “extraordinary” when they experience your brand!  Make every experience, the Black Tie Experience!

Bob Pacanovsky is a Speaker and Trainer who works with companies and organizations on creating loyal customers, growing revenue and empowering their teams through the Black Tie Experience.  To learn more, contact Bob – call (330) 352-6084 or email -[email protected]