|
|
How well do you know your customers?
The number one way you can ensure you are sucsessful in business is to ensure all your clients are happy, the best wy of doing this is getting to understand them, here is 10 things that your clients wish you knew about them.
Customers value “good” service more than “fast” service. Recent studies show that customers who receive competenent, knowledgable, and all encompassing services are more likely to remember their experience and tell thieir friends. In Addition, customers cited “rude, incompetenet and rushed” service as their number one reason to abandon a brand, 18% more often than “slow” service.
Customers love personalisation, they will gladly pay more for it. In a study from the journal of applied social psychology (US), researchers were able to increase the average tips that waiters received by over 23% (without changing service quality). They accomplished this by having waiters follow up with a second set of mints after they brought customers their bill (waiters that brought mints but didn’t follow up received an average of 7% less for their tips).
Customers will remember you if you can remember their name. Speaking of personalisation, accoring to recent research examining brain activation, few sounds are as pleasant as hearing out own names. Fact is, people are more attentive (and interested) when they hear their names. Be sure your small business takes advantage of getting to know your customers by using their names when appropriate, this is critical for good customer relations.
There are few things customers talk about more than a pleasant surprise. One of the most lasting (and talked about) customer experiences is a pleasant surprise; recipricity, especially when its unexpected, is a very powerful force, look for ways you can brighten your clients day, this could be free delivery, a discount of their next perchase, whatever you feel would pleasently surprise them most without costing the earth.
Creating goodwill with customers doesn’t need to be expensive Creating goodwill with customers has proven to be more about the act, rather than the cost, examine your client demographic and find causes that are important to the group then assist in some way, Goodwill reassures your clients that they are spending their money with a worthwhile company and also the share in the feel good factor of good will, this doesn’t have to be money it can be a donation of services or simply your time.
Customers will stick with your loyalty programs if you get them started. Researchers have proven that customers are twice as likely to stay with loyalty programs if the programs appear to already be started: tasks that seem to be under way are much more likely to be completed.
Customers love brand stories and selling through stories is effective. A well told story is one of the most persuasive forms of writing (or speaking) available. this is because stories have the ability to ‘transport’ us to another place, allowing brands to leave powerful (and lasting) messages to customers, Blogging is a great way of helping to build your brand and company ethos.
If you’re struggling to innovate, your customers are a great resource. Around 60% of innovations in businesses come from client/customer feedback/data capture, this should always be your primary source of evidence when completing planning tasks to ensure that your business goes from strength to strength, remember no clients = no business
Selling ‘time’ over money helps customers see the value of your brand There’s a reason that inexpensive beer companies promote having a good time rather than their low prices, customers have move favourable feelings towards brands they associate ‘time well spent’ with: memories of good times were more powerful that memories of great savings.
If you bring up money, it makes customers more self-centred When people are ‘primed’ with images of money, they became more self-interested and less willing to help others. This reaction can be used by businesses that sell luxury items, but could backfire with promotions that are associated with doing things for others (ex. Mother’s day gifts).
Customers value “good” service more than “fast” service. Recent studies show that customers who receive competenent, knowledgable, and all encompassing services are more likely to remember their experience and tell thieir friends. In Addition, customers cited “rude, incompetenet and rushed” service as their number one reason to abandon a brand, 18% more often than “slow” service.
Customers love personalisation, they will gladly pay more for it. In a study from the journal of applied social psychology (US), researchers were able to increase the average tips that waiters received by over 23% (without changing service quality). They accomplished this by having waiters follow up with a second set of mints after they brought customers their bill (waiters that brought mints but didn’t follow up received an average of 7% less for their tips).
Customers will remember you if you can remember their name. Speaking of personalisation, accoring to recent research examining brain activation, few sounds are as pleasant as hearing out own names. Fact is, people are more attentive (and interested) when they hear their names. Be sure your small business takes advantage of getting to know your customers by using their names when appropriate, this is critical for good customer relations.
There are few things customers talk about more than a pleasant surprise. One of the most lasting (and talked about) customer experiences is a pleasant surprise; recipricity, especially when its unexpected, is a very powerful force, look for ways you can brighten your clients day, this could be free delivery, a discount of their next perchase, whatever you feel would pleasently surprise them most without costing the earth.
Creating goodwill with customers doesn’t need to be expensive Creating goodwill with customers has proven to be more about the act, rather than the cost, examine your client demographic and find causes that are important to the group then assist in some way, Goodwill reassures your clients that they are spending their money with a worthwhile company and also the share in the feel good factor of good will, this doesn’t have to be money it can be a donation of services or simply your time.
Customers will stick with your loyalty programs if you get them started. Researchers have proven that customers are twice as likely to stay with loyalty programs if the programs appear to already be started: tasks that seem to be under way are much more likely to be completed.
Customers love brand stories and selling through stories is effective. A well told story is one of the most persuasive forms of writing (or speaking) available. this is because stories have the ability to ‘transport’ us to another place, allowing brands to leave powerful (and lasting) messages to customers, Blogging is a great way of helping to build your brand and company ethos.
If you’re struggling to innovate, your customers are a great resource. Around 60% of innovations in businesses come from client/customer feedback/data capture, this should always be your primary source of evidence when completing planning tasks to ensure that your business goes from strength to strength, remember no clients = no business
Selling ‘time’ over money helps customers see the value of your brand There’s a reason that inexpensive beer companies promote having a good time rather than their low prices, customers have move favourable feelings towards brands they associate ‘time well spent’ with: memories of good times were more powerful that memories of great savings.
If you bring up money, it makes customers more self-centred When people are ‘primed’ with images of money, they became more self-interested and less willing to help others. This reaction can be used by businesses that sell luxury items, but could backfire with promotions that are associated with doing things for others (ex. Mother’s day gifts).
