We live in a society where everything needs to be fast and readily available. Call it the Amazon Same-Day Delivery syndrome, but customers hate having to wait to receive the service or product they want. However, the more you rush to serve, the more likely you will miss crucial opportunities.
Customers are often impatient, so it’s tough to keep everyone happy when you want to do a good job. However, here are 5 areas where spending extra time will boost customer satisfaction and keep them returning for more!
- Prototyping your product
Is your product going to work as you intend it to? On paper, every idea looks right. But sometimes, you notice issues in practice. That’s precisely why it’s a good idea to dedicate time to testing in real conditions. You could reach out to prototyping experts using custom sheet metal fabrication processes to build a functional prototype. It’s worth delaying production and marketing steps to ensure you get everything right first. - Customer surveys
Your customers want to feel valued and understood. However, the best way to get to know your customers is not through their interactions with your brand. To understand their pain points and their expectations, you need to be willing to ask questions and collect statements. Too many companies choose the easy way out when it comes to feedback, focusing on safe topics with a choice of multiple pre-determined answers. Instead, asking an open question will require additional analysis and review. Yet, it will reveal more about your audience. - Transaction pages
No business wants to lose customers on the transaction pages. However, your haste to secure payment could be counterproductive. Indeed, customers are more likely to trust a company that spends the time to explain the different payment processes. It will mean optimizing multiple payment methods and providing reassurance to potential buyers. Rather than a click to buy button that concludes the transaction, the business must create additional content and options to better support all customers. - Individual customer service
Brick and mortar businesses, especially, can help create a safe space for their customers. Attentive customer service goes above and beyond completing a transaction. For instance, the media praised many food and drink businesses for rescuing vulnerable customers from unpleasant or threatening situations. Everybody’s favorite coffee place, Starbucks, is no stranger to reaching out to customers and offering support when they notice that customers are being harassed or threatened. Paying attention to the customers even after completing the transaction could save lives. - Negative reviews
Why do customers leave negative reviews? Every entrepreneur asks the question once. But those who seek an answer can truly learn from the experience. Negative reviews indicate an issue that could be related to the individual or the business. The customer could be having a bad day and be unfair in their feedback. Alternatively, the issue could relate to the business itself. Reaching out to customers who left a bad score can be a rewarding strategy in the long term. First of all, you could learn something about the company. Secondly, you get another chance to satisfy a customer, which means you could redeem yourself and receive an updated review.
Time is of the essence in business. But it doesn’t mean everything should go fast. On the contrary, using time as evidence of customer care can dramatically transform a brand’s reputation.
