As the Vice President of Partner Experience at TTI Success Insights, it goes without saying that the customer journey is always on my mind. I used to be a member of the TTI network before working here, so I know just how important it is on the other side of the network.
I know that the way a company makes a person feel is just as important as the service they provide or the products they sell— 88% of customers agree, according to Hubspot.
Think of a time when a company went above and beyond for you. The fact that you can remember that experience in a lifetime of purchases and interactions is more powerful than you might realize.
What are the moving parts of the customer experience? How can businesses create positive experiences for customers without disregarding the needs of the business?
Provide Consistent and Reliable Customer Support
Start at the beginning! A talented and dedicated support staff will make all the difference when it comes to creating excellent customer experiences.
Treat your customer support team with the respect they deserve by providing them with competitive salaries, adequate training, PTO, and benefits to improve their lives. When companies skimp on their support teams, it shows. Make the position desirable and you’ll attract high-quality team members.
Hiring the right people makes all the difference, as does hiring enough people. Ensure the team is staffed in a way that allows for team members to have a life outside work without feeling guilty or stressed when taking time off. This flexibility will help keep your team refreshed and supported, allowing them to offer authentic, dedicated support.
Understanding the right make-up of a person for this type of role is imperative to their success. Not everyone is equipped or excited by being on the front lines with customers. Just as important is ensuring the team members have the information and resources they need to respond to your customers in a timely manner. Keeping the team “in the know” is vital for their ability to do their job, and do it well.
Remember The Customer Journey
Excellent customer experiences don’t solely rely on a dedicated support team. The customer experience starts with their first point of reference; a friend recommending a product, a compelling advertisement, a considerate cold call that meets their needs without being overly salesy. The approach is everything!
Constantly monitor your channels of communication and optimize the ones that make the most sense for your business. A well-designed, easy-to-navigate website is crucial, as is keeping your social media accounts active with clear direction to more info. Create a blog with useful resources and thought leadership that’s easy and valuable to share. Make customers feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves.
Focusing on user experience is crucial.
Give Customers The Info They Need Upfront
Positive experiences for customers are going to look different based on individual needs. Some customers will immediately make a phone call for tech support while others will do everything they can to avoid a conversation in-person, scouring the internet for assistance.
Make sure to provide information upfront, as well as different levels of communication or guidance. Set up a chat bot on your site that filters requests and then connects customers with a real person. Confirm your phone number help line is accessible, and set up a support request email for less outgoing customers.
No two people are the same! Give your customers options; they’ll appreciate it.
Act On Feedback
All feedback, positive or negative, is incredibly valuable for tailoring the customer experience. If you’re lucky enough to directly find out what changes your customers are requesting, it’s your job to receive that information.
Encourage customers to share their opinions through surveys, reviews, or direct feedback channels— don’t just rely on automation here. Work with your support team to gather feedback in a verbal conversation to gather as much information as possible.
When you do take action based on feedback, however, it’s time to demonstrate changes. It can be worse to make a show of asking for feedback, then ignore it, wasting the customers’ time and breaking trust. Depending on what changes, announce improvements to your entire customer base or reach out to the individual who gave the informative feedback.
Keep in mind that you can’t always implement customer feedback, and you shouldn’t always follow their suggestions! If their solutions or requests don’t align with the mission, purpose, and goals of the company, you need to move in a different direction. You can’t always make a change, but you can listen to their input and sympathize with them. The act of listening is very important.
Personalize Customer Support
The success of this endeavor comes from remembering details! Have your support staff keep notes during calls to reference later. It’s not reasonable to expect one team member to handle every interaction with individual customers, but with dedicated note-taking, you can create a point of reference for other team members and ensure the customer has a cohesive experience. Note different team members associated with an account, what the last call was about, and common questions associated with that customer.
Find a way to celebrate with your customers and share your appreciation with milestones. Send a note or make a call on their anniversary or birthday.
Forbes shared that, “97% of consumers say customer service interactions impact whether consumers stay loyal to a brand”. Gain that loyalty by using customer data and insights to personalize communications, recommendations, and offers. Make sure to keep this convenient instead of creepy— too much customization can be invasive and off-putting, not to mention expensive to assemble. Rely on conversations to guide customization; your clients will appreciate it.
Creating Positive Experiences For Customers
Finding a way to create positive experiences for customers is foundational to your business’s success. By providing excellent support, remembering the customer journey, providing information up-front, acting on feedback, and personalizing experiences for customers, you will stand out from the competition and thrive.
If you want to expand your exploration into the customer experience journey, learn from an expert! TTI is thrilled to announce that Joe Pine, an internationally acclaimed speaker, management advisor, and the author of The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money, is giving the closing keynote address at Forty Forward. If you’re a member of the TTI network, don’t wait! Save your seat today.
