Simple Techniques To Improve The Customer Experience
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]HERE’S AN OLD saying that the customer comes first, and there’s an element of truth to be found there.
While your employees are also very important, at the end of the day, your customers will be what makes you a successful business. It’s important to treat them with respect and to show them the courtesy that you’d expect in their situation.
It’s not always easy to take a critical look at your business and see where you can improve. Bettering the customer experience doesn’t have to mean a radical overhaul of every area, it’s just a little nip and tuck in places. This article will go over a couple of simple ways you can improve the customer experience, without breaking your brain (or the bank!).
Build a community
It’s one of those things that so many businesses get wrong. Sure, you have a nice shop floor, a good operating profit and well-built products, but where’s your character? You don’t have a personality, and that’s a bad thing. Studies have shown that 85% of customers search online for businesses first, so take advantage of this.
Hire a community and social media specialist to build your brand. Or, do it yourself in-house. If you’re on social media, find your customers and engage with them. Thank them for visiting your store, and they’ll feel special. It’s important not to look like a faceless corporation. You want to come across as friendly, personable and easy to reach.
EPOS, and cutting down queues
Sure, accepting cash as your only payment method is fine, but it’s slow. It means you and your employees will have to count out notes and change, holding up customers in a never ending line. In an ideal world, everybody would be patient, but some customers just want to be served so they can leave. Mistakes are also made here, and with no tangible way to track stock, you’ll be lost.
EPOS can offer you a streamlined all-in-one sales solution. You could use a Bluebird iPad POS in order to gain an accessible, simple sales point. Your employees can access all the items you sell and quickly process them, with little fuss. You can accept card and contactless, meaning the customer won’t be waiting around while you count their cash.
The point is, it’s important to modernise. You may have started your business in the 90s, but you should run it like it’s the present day. If you don’t, the only direction you’ll run it is into the ground.
Run offers, and give away free stuff
Generosity is hard to come by these days. It’s the foundation of any positive relationship, and the same is true of you and your customers. Don’t be afraid to offer them buy one get one free, or similar offers. It keeps people coming back, and it keeps a smile on their face.
As a business, you’ll live and die by word of mouth, so give people something positive to say about you. If word gets out that you frequently run tantalising promotions, you’ll be rewarded in spades. Don’t overdo it though. Keep things simple and streamlined.
When all is said and done, you have to remember that saying I quoted in the opening. The customer is the most important part of any business, so look after them, and your finances will look after themselves.
How do you think the customer experience can be improved? Chime in using the comments!
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