Did you know that eighty-nine percent of customers are more likely to return after they have a positive customer service experience? Or that if your company is known for excellent customer service, up to ninety-three percent of customers will make repeat purchases there? Customer service is key to winning over your customers, and a customer that has been won over is always a happy customer.
There’s a reason why customer service is such a big part of training in many different places. However, training doesn’t always work, and it fades easily.
If you’re here to brush up on this so you can improve customer satisfaction, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll give you plenty of tips for happy customers. In fact, by the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly how to put a smile on someone’s face.
1. Make Their Experience Easier
When a customer comes to your business, they aren’t looking to struggle with their day. Customers want to get a service that they ask for without having to struggle with it at any given point.
One of the simplest ways that you can make your customer’s day easier is to use mobile POS software. Being able to let your customers pay from anywhere means that they won’t have to wait in line – an easy way to boost anyone’s mood.
In addition, it makes it easier for you to create customized announcements for anything that might happen in your business that a customer wouldn’t want to miss out on. It’s also easier to get the customer’s contact information for specialized offers.
A quicker checkout experience and a special “in” on deals is sure to make getting customers easily.
2. Be Personal
No one likes to be treated as if they’re a number or an item on a list that needs to be checked off. Being personal with your customers is key in making them feel important. Everyone enjoys feeling important, so being personal with them is a quick way to improve customer satisfaction.
Get to understand how each customer likes to communicate and communicate with them on their level. This will help both of you out – it makes your day feel less monotonous, and it makes your customer feel special.
By treating your customers like the individuals they are, you’re also making it easier for you to get to know them. Knowing your customer as a person will make it easier for you to convince them into something they otherwise wouldn’t have purchased. Depending on what industry you’re in, this could be anything from a retail loyalty program to an extra dessert at your restaurant.
This is a quick, easy way to win over customers and turn people into regulars.
3. Know Your Customer
We’ve already discussed getting to know your customer on a personal level, but what about knowing them from their preferences? Although it seems unlikely, each generation has their own customer service preferences.
This is because each generation has lived during a different time. They have different experiences in common with each other, and so all prefer similar types of service.
By knowing the general preferences of each generation, you’ll be able to create an experience tailored to their needs. Knowing your target audience can take you a long way in any journey, no matter how big or small.
Each generation will also have overlap with each other. For example, both Millennials and Gen-Z want to shop in store so they can have things immediately. However, they also want an experience that’s streamlined with modern technology.
Baby boomers also want a streamlined experience. Unlike Millennials and Gen-Z, however, this isn’t because they’re used to an age of technology. This is because shopping can be a stressful experience for them, and they want it to be over with.
4. Practice Active Listening
Customers usually have something to say, whether it’s feedback about their experience or just making casual conversation with you. The worst thing you could do for customer satisfaction would be to dismiss them with halfhearted nods and grunts. After all, how would you feel if you were trying to talk to someone and they ignored you?
This is where active listening comes in handy. Active listening is a skill usually practiced in the home or in the office, but it can assist you anywhere. Being an active listener is simple.
The first thing you need to do is pay attention to the customer. Keep both their words and body language in mind. Don’t shy away from making eye contact with them.
Next, don’t plan what you’re going to say ahead of time. Allow yourself to just focus on their words.
When they’re done speaking, prove that you listened to them by responding in a thoughtful manner. Repeat some of what they said back to them to show you heard and understood.
Feeling listened to is one of the best ways to capture a customer’s loyalty.
5. Be Timely
No matter what you do, don’t waste your customer’s time. Time is incredibly valuable to everybody, and your customer has things they want to do once they’re done at your business.
If a customer requests help, get to them as quickly as you can. Answer any potential questions that they might have as concisely as possible. If you don’t know the answer, find someone who does promptly.
When a customer is looking to pay and leave, do what you can to streamline that process for them. Odds are that they’ve already had to wait in line. At this point, all they want is to pay and exit the building.
Don’t avoid conversation with them, but make sure to check them out as quickly as possible. Your customer will be grateful for this, especially if they’ve already had a long day.
6. Follow Up on Feedback
If you have a method of getting feedback, whether from a survey you set up or just an e-mail address, there will inevitably be negative feedback about something. It doesn’t matter how excellent your services are; customers will eventually find an area that is lacking. When you get this feedback, do not ignore it.
Has the customer outlined in their complaint what they want done to fix it? If so, carry out those changes promptly. If they haven’t, then contact the customer directly to ask what can be done.
Feedback is the most useful tool of any business. It allows you to notice your business’ strengths and what regularly makes customers happy. In addition, it allows you to notice if a pattern of complaints appear and whether that means your store has a problem or not.
Responding to a customer helps them feel listened to, which makes them more likely to come back. If you’ve made sure to implement the changes they wanted, they’ll be twice as satisfied. Congratulations – you’ve turned a weakness into an opportunity.
Bonus Tips For Happy Customers
The things we’ve talked about so far aren’t even all of the many tips for customer satisfaction – just some of the biggest ones. Here’s a few additional tips for you before you finish reading this article.
Reward your customer’s loyalty. If you have any programs available that would give them special deals, convince a regular customer to sign up for it. Rewards are an easy way to get your customers to keep returning to your store.
Another thing that you can do is to keep your employees happy. People pick up on whether someone is genuinely in a good mood, whether they realize it or not. Making work a place your employee enjoys will help boost the mood of everyone there.
Finally, be innovative! Don’t be afraid to change things about your business if it could be done better.
It may take a while, but if you follow all of our tips, you’ll gradually notice an increase in regular customers. This is a win for everyone involved – they get customer service they love. Your business can experience growing profits.
Reach Out to Us
Now that you’ve heard all of our tips for getting a happy customer, you may be thinking about how you can implement them. For example, is the customer experience as easy as it can be? Or do they experience issues with the POS software when checking out?
Checkout is the last chance to keep a customer happy. If things go wrong here, the customer’s day is instantly soured, even if the rest of their experience was pleasant.
If you have concerns about your POS capabilities, maybe it’s time to upgrade. Contact us with your questions, and we’ll help you out.
