How to Manage Customer Expectations?
Do you often have the thought that your business would operate so much better without customers and all their demands? They want this, that, and the other, all of which interrupts your day! But customer expectations are what drives your business and keeps them coming back.
This article will look at expectations and how you and your business need to know what they are.
Do you often have the thought that your business would operate so much better without customers and all their demands? They want this, that, and the other, all of which interrupts your day! But customer expectations are what drives your business and keeps them coming back.
Do you know what your customers are expecting of you? If not, how can you find out? What will be understanding their expectations do for your business? This article will look at expectations and how you and your business need to know what they are.
What Do They Expect?
Not many businesses endeavor to find out what their customers want! Owners assume they know. Big mistake! If you're going to grow your business, find out what your customers expect of you. How can you do this? Ask them! Why not have an Expectations Week. Tell your staff that this week's goal is to ask customers what they expect of the business. Set a target of approaching a certain number of customers a day and ask, If I was to ask you what your top 3 expectations of doing business with us are, what would they be?
Alternatively, you could put out an Expectations Book and ask customers to write down their comments. This way, they will not be embarrassed and maybe more frank!
If you operate your business remotely, why not do an e-mail survey? Consider offering a prize to encourage responses.
Great Expectations
What is your customer likely to come up with as expectations of doing business with you? Here are some possible answers:
Depending on your business, the list could go on! But you have the idea. No doubt you could add many more.
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Review and Take Action
Armed with your list of expectations, your next step is to review them and see which ones you are currently meeting. Remember, you may think you are completing a confident expectation, but this is an opportunity for a quick reality check to ensure it's happening.
The list you're left with is the expectations you are not currently delivering on. Looking at each of them in turn, ask yourself whether you could meet that expectation even with the best will in the world. You may have an over-exuberant customer who expects too much! If you really can't complete it, delete it.
You will then be left with several core expectations, which you could meet with some thought and action. Sit down with a pen and paper and put an Action Plan on what needs to be done to achieve what your customer expects of you. Get your staff together, and commit to putting the outcomes into action.
You've Listened!
Having gone to the trouble of asking your customers what they expect of you, don't forget to provide them with some feedback. If you gathered ideas from the shop floor, put up a notice thanking everyone for their participation and listing the expectations you are taking action on. Why not display an Expectations Charter?
If you had responses via e-mail, reply and outline what you have done again. You could even list the expectations on your website.
Having gone through all this trouble of asking, reviewing, and taking action, it's all too easy to forget what you committed after a few weeks or months. Make sure that you re-visit the original list at least once a quarter and check that you are still delivering what your customers expect of you.
What Can You Expect?
If you have followed through on the steps, what's in it for you? After all, the customers get what they want; what's your payback?
Some pretty compelling reasons to put an expectations program in place!
So, review these steps and consider asking your customers what they want of you. If you can manage their expectations, you collect their experience and drive your profits!