Deliver Excellent Service Always-Value Add with Purchase Points
Delighted Customer
The ability to make each customer feel as if they are the most important customer – this is the experience customers crave. Everyone knows they are not your only customer, but if they felt that they were important to you when they last did business with your company, they will return to you. If you delivered excellent customer service and created an experience that gave them that feeling of importance, your competition is no longer an issue.
Your Most Important Customer
Assume for just a moment that you actually do run a business that is 90% financially dependent upon one customer. How would you treat that customer? What would you be doing for that customer? What are the bare minimum service expectations that you would expect everyone within your organization to practice when interacting with that customer?
Now, apply those principles to each and every customer that walks through your door. Every customer needs to be treated as if they are important, because the are. Each customer contributes to the financial stability of your business.
Stratifying Customers
This brings up the topic of stratifying your customers, or providing better service or perks to those customers who spend more money with your business. While everyone deserves to be treated with excellent service no matter what their expenditures are, it is in the best interest of your business to provide value added services to those who do spend more. The key is to be transparent about it. Perhaps it’s free shipping to those who spend a certain amount of money during a transaction. Perhaps it’s free deposit tickets and deposit stamp for those customers who maintain a certain balance in a business bank account. Some department stores offer personal shoppers to those purchasing suits to help them create a matching ensemble or accessorize.
The point here is that customers will know from the onset that when they spend more money with you, they will receive more services. Not better service from the staff, but value added services. Customers not qualifying for the added services will know that if they spent more, they would get more, but are still delighted with the service they did receive from your associates.
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Comments
You make such great points here. When Blockbuster decided to put a primary focus on providing excellent customer service to each and every customers we definitely saw the positive effects. Customers would tell me that they preferred coming to our Blockbuster, despite its higher prices, over other video rental places because of the friendly and helpful service they received. It is also probably why (on more than one occasion) I had a customer storm out saying they were switching to Hollywood Video only to have them return 2-3 months later–without fail they’d be back. Providing top-notch customer service to each and every customer is what keeps them coming back and will keep your company on top.
I LOVE your customer service insights Kristina, keep ‘em coming!
Thanks for the comment Sarah. You bring up an excellent point. People will often knowingly pay more for a product or service based solely on the relationship we promise them and service we deliver. It seems that you’ve found that to be the case. Keep up the good work and thanks for the kind words.
Smiles-
Kristina
Hi Kristina,
This is one of the first blogs I’ve read that values both the high dollar, loyal customer AND the newer, or less lucrative customer. It is something often overlooked when designing loyalty programs, etc. You make a clear point that even though some customers may not necessarily bring a great deal of money to your business, they still deserve outstanding customer service. I agree! And I also like your point about rewarding customers who are loyal, and do help support the bottom line of your business. That’s how Delta airlines has kept my business over the years (not necessarily their service, but their willingness to develop a loyalty program that’s a bit better than other airlines).
You pose an intriguing question: How would you treat a customer, assuming they contributed to 90% of your financial success? Outstanding! If more businesses would take this approach, they would shock their customers into loyalty!
Thanks for your insightful post!
Jen
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