Any business that strives to be adored by customers and become a lasting success must place a high priority on consistently satisfying customer wants and needs.
Customers come through your doors for a reason. Understanding what they want and fulfilling it will engender their satisfaction. In return, they’ll come back for more and tell others about their wonderful experiences.
Companies that choose to make it their business to foster happiness in their customers are the most enlightened and successful of all. They understand successful operations are first and foremost about serving people and ensuring their satisfaction. These businesses know that increasing the pleasure, satisfaction and happiness of the patrons who support them with their hard-earned dollars will build a base of loyal and referring customers.
One of the biggest differences between creating raving fans of your customers or not is getting the little things right on a consistent basis. Just a moment of reflection on your own experiences will reveal your favorite businesses — those you frequent often and tell others about with enthusiasm — consistently go the extra mile to provide you with a happy and satisfied feeling.
The greetings your customers receive is vitally important because it creates a lasting first impression each time they engage your business. If the greeting they receive is non-existent or lackadaisical — lacking in enthusiasm, genuineness, smiles and a caring attitude — your customers will be turned off from the start. Conversely, if they’re quickly acknowledged by a smiling, happy person — one who’s receptive and caring — they’ll be open to your business and what it has to offer. The greeting offers an opportunity to set the stage for success every time a customer chooses to do business with you.
I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t want to be heard. Yet all too often, customers aren’t heard by the businesses serving them. When this occurs, customers aren’t being served at all. They’re undervalued and neglected — and they know it. This feeling won’t endear them to your business. When you truly listen to your customers and train your team members to do the same, customers will feel acknowledged, valued and cared for. The result is greater trust, rapport, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
When you and your team members truly listen to your customers, you’ll more accurately comprehend their wants and needs. Asking questions that will help you fully understand their desires and paying attention to their answers will position you to offer high-quality solutions. With this type of solid communication in place, your business creates the possibility of accurately meeting, and even exceeding, customer wants and needs.
The ways in which mistakes are handled constitutes another important demarcation among poor, good and exceptional businesses. Errors should never become the responsibility of your customers. This is a sure-fire way to damage your reputation and lose business. Own any missteps made by you or your team and do all you can, within reason, to correct the situation. The impressions you leave with customers will be lasting ones.
In exceptional companies, owners and team members want their customers to leave feeling not only satisfied, but also better than when they arrived. Ultimately, it’s the feeling you give your customers that matters most. When people leave your business feeling better, you’ve added value to their life. And value — a quality experience, not just a good price — is what they seek.
All of us have our favorite places to do business, and the reasons are obvious. These companies are the exception to the rule and have set themselves apart by going above and beyond in satisfying us. They truly care about their products and services as well as the people who make their success possible. Be a business that truly cares about your customer experiences and thrive.
If all of this seems overwhelming, engaging the assistance of a professional coach or consultant offers a way to identify weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
Make it a priority to satisfy and even exceed customer wants and needs. Commit to operating a business that consistently delivers on the basics. Do it with integrity, care and gratitude. Because without satisfied customers, the success and happiness you desire could prove elusive.