It’s time businesses rethink customer service. Considering how much the way we shop and make purchases has changed just over the last few years, companies should reevaluate their relationship with their customers. Today, customer service is how businesses relate to their partners. Customers are not just buyers; they are integral to the success of any business. When businesses see their customers as partners, providing an exceptional brand and shopping experience becomes a mutual benefit, fostering a sense of value and importance in both parties.
Patronizing a business is not a must for customers; it’s a deliberate choice they make. Let’s face it: customers have options. They can choose to shop online and have their items delivered to them or visit a brand in-store where they can peruse the aisles and make the selections for the things they want themselves. This power of choice is a reminder of the urgency for businesses to provide exceptional service. There are a plethora of options and ways for customers to get their needs met from businesses. Therefore, it’s not about businesses begging for customers but about companies understanding the value of providing good customer service. Because for a customer to choose YOUR business, it’s imperative that you thank them by simply making that customer’s day.
Kindness goes a long way, especially in business. Regarding the business and customer relationship, showing kindness is good customer service. Customers decide to come back to your business because they know your business prioritizes that customer and their needs, not product pushing or prioritizing making a sale. When businesses teach their sales representatives to befriend their customers and to genuinely try to improve their customer’s day, that’s a fail-proof way of setting your business apart while setting your business on the path of long-term success, which leads to brand loyalty.
Kindness in business looks like opening the door for your customers, complimenting them, remembering their names, and simply connecting with them on a human level the same way you’d like to be treated when it’s your turn to be a customer. Showing customers that they are cared about and not a walking sale or dollar sign is good customer service. It’s asking how they are doing and informing them about ways to use your brand’s product, whether they buy it or not.
Furthermore, focusing on providing positive customer experiences is important because negative interactions can damage the customer-business relationship and harm your brand’s reputation. Did you know that 43% of customers with a bad customer experience described that feeling as a disappointment? And according to that same study, 43% felt unhappiness, and 41% shared they felt anger. This shows how good or bad customer service can help your customers have a good or bad day, and their happiness can make or break your business. There’s nothing worse than bad press or negative word-of-mouth marketing. When customers have a positive experience with a brand, 72% of UK customers share that experience with six or more people. However, when the experience is negative, 67% of customers share their bad experience with others, and 65% switch to a different brand. And once they’ve had just a single bad experience, it takes 12 positive experiences to make up for it.
Of course, according to statistics, price is important, but if your customer service provides an experience that makes your customers feel seen, valued, and human, they are willing to pay more. In fact, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more based on a great customer experience.
Stating the obvious, businesses rely on having customers. This relationship involves exchanging goods and services for money, but it goes beyond mere transactions. When your business views customers as partners and focuses on building strong relationships and connecting on a personal level, you are not just selling a product or service but creating engaging and connected experiences. This approach ensures that customers will continue to choose your business consistently.