Transforming enquiries into bookings – it’s all about customer service

The customer experience is so key to the success of any business, and when you’re dealing with the biggest day of someone’s life it’s arguable more important than ever. For wedding venues it’s simple – excellent customer service is what transforms enquiries into bookings. With decades of experience working at the heart of the wedding industry, I’ve seen first-hand how great (and not so great) customer service can make or break a venue. Want to know how to get it right? Here’s my top tips on how venues can give the best customer service., from the initial enquiry right through to the final contract.

Don’t leave them hanging

When a bride- or groom-to-be reaches out to your venue, whether that’s through your website’s online contact form, Instagram DM or Facebook comment, don’t leave them waiting. Reply as promptly as possible, on the platform through which they enquired (i.e. don’t send an email if they have DM’d you in the first instance). Answer their question but also make sure you finish with a call to action. Whether that’s a link to book a viewing or something as simple as asking them a specific question, just keep the conversation going to create a rapport.

Make it personal

Let’s face it, we all like to feel special – and when you’re planning your wedding you absolutely should be made to feel special. Never lose sight of the fact that for this bride- or groom-to-be, every step of their wedding planning journey is a big deal, so respect that and try to keep the personal touch throughout.?

If a couple has asked specific questions in their enquiry email, make sure you reply to them. Whatever you do, don’t just send a standard template with no acknowledgment of their questions. Of course it’s fine to work from a templated email response, but make sure you answer any question and ensure they feel like you have taken the time to read their email properly and genuinely care about helping them.

Be proactive

Stand out customer service is proactive rather than just reactive. Pre-empt what a couple may need to make a decision on your venue and make sure they have all the information they need. Send out pricing information, menus, details of accommodation if you have it and any restrictions at your venue before they ask. Making everything available to the couple without them having to chase will instantly create a great impression.

?

Always follow up

After a showround, or even if an enquiry has just gone quiet, it’s important to follow up on email. This isn’t about being pushy or trying to ‘seal the deal’, it’s about checking in on the customer to make sure they have everything they need to make a decision or take the next step. This is a great opportunity to refer back to something they may have mentioned in earlier correspondence, for example: “I remember you mentioned you loved the idea of an outdoor ceremony, so wanted to share this video link to a recent outdoor wedding we held here to show you what we can offer.” Again, make it personal and show that you have listened, and they are important.

?

Help with the customer experience

Sometimes it’s something as simple as not having enough hours in the day to give the best customer service possible. I understand that –?running and managing a wedding venue is all about juggling those (many) balls, and naturally one or two will get dropped along the way. It’s so important to keep customer service as a priority though, so if you and your team are feeling stretched, it could be time to consider outsourcing aspects of the process. At The Venue Experts we offer outsourced sales for venues, meaning we can follow up and nurture every single lead, providing the very best customer service experience while you concentrate on planning the weddings you already have booked in. if you ‘d like to know more about this or any of the other services we offer, click here to get in touch or drop me an email at [email protected]

?