Congratulate Your Customers to Enhance the Relationship
Enhancing the customer experience sometimes has nothing to do with the product or service that you provide. Customer experience management is all about focusing on that customer and the way they do business. Customer satisfaction dramatically increases when you reach out to your customers for something relevant to them and their business. It’s about building and nurturing the relationship you are forming. When you communicate with your customers outside of the business transaction, they value that.
Notice the Coverage or Accolades of Your Customers
Today I received an ezine featuring one of my clients, a small business owner. She has built her business from the ground up and has endured many of the same challenges that small business owners encounter today. The article detailed her start in her industry and how she finally made the decision to start her own business. It represented her well, both professionally and personally and gave an accounting of her growth over the past few years.
Celebrate the Successes of Your Customers
I emailed my client congratulating her on the article and the way it presented both her and her company. I congratulated her on the feature coverage and on the success of her business and told her how proud she should be of her accomplishments and all that she has ahead of her. She immediately emailed me back and thanked me for the note. She was very happy about the article and that I had noticed it and congratulated her. One line stood out in particular -
“This has been such an exciting ride and I’m so glad to know that the people who have helped me along the way in business, like you, are here to celebrate my successes and to help when I face challenges. I’m glad I have you in my corner.“
When you reach out to your customers, you strengthen the bond – both professionally and personally
When you take the time to notice anything said or written about your customers, be sure to pass it on to them. It lets them know that you are thinking of them not only as a revenue source, but as a partner. Everyone loves to be noticed and thought of on some level. If you come across an article relevant to the field of one of your customers, email or send it to them with a short note that you thought of them when you read it. Perhaps they might find it helpful, perhaps not. But the point is that you are showing them that the relationship you have with them is not focused on the dollars they bring in, but on them as a person and the way they do business.
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Comments
I like all your suggestions. One point I’d make is not to placate customers. I worked with a company that used to really push the staff to “give cookies” and I always found this experience to be droll and contrived. Meaningful interactions will create positive bonds!
I agree with you completely! The point here is to make each interaction unique. Now, cookies are always a good thing in my book, but to make the customer feel the relationship is genuine, it does take a little bit of effort and thoughtfulness to that particular customer. Cookies and the like are for the “blanket” effect. Make the contact point specific to that customer to truly enhance the experience.
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