Customers have high expectations, who blames them, everyone is looking for the best product or service out there if they are forking out money for it. With a huge amount of competition out there, not meeting these high expectations may result in you losing customers. These expectations are not simply focused on the product or service, but on the customer journey. Up to the point where the sale is made but not only, after sales services are also a key factor in this. 

Follow these 7 points to make sure that each customer interaction with your business is remarkable:

Show empathy and gratitude

This might sound like a simple step, but quite often with the fast paced lifestyle we lead, it is quite often ignored. Treat your customers as you want others to treat as a customer. Thank them for their patience and understanding when problems arise and thank them for their loyalty when they give feedback, renew or buy from you again. Show empathy and understanding if any issues come up, saying sorry goes a long way. Positive experiences lead to customer loyalty.

Be thorough

When dealing with customers it is important to be thorough; always follow up your interactions with solutions, feedback or educational resources they can benefit from. Following up is key; if you can’t resolve an issue initially, provide customers with a timeframe, if you do solve an issue, reach out after a while to see if they are still having the same problem, or better yet see if any patterns surround the issue so it can be avoided altogether. With an ongoing relationship going the extra mile; congratulating them on milestones, or successes helps.

Be transparent and communicative

Transparency is extremely important, if a customer catches you in a lie it will immediately cause distrust. Use empathy and gratitude, don’t hesitate to explain the situation and apologize when issues come up, let them know how it happened and if it can happen again advise them so they can prepare for the eventuality.

Ask for and act on customer feedback

Regularly asking for customer feedback is an effective way to identify problems before they get out of turn. Surveys help customers voice their opinions and this makes them feel more validated by you. However simply asking for feedback is not enough, it should also be acted upon.

Surprise and delight your customers

Make sure to surprise your customers from time to time; a thank you letter or a shoutout on social media goes a long way and why not if you can surprise them with a gift or a discount it would be even better. These surprises help build an emotional connection with your customers building up on their sense of loyalty. 

Go where your customers are

Have your customer care available on all platforms, nothing is more annoying than reaching out with a complaint on a social platform and you are redirected to call or ask somewhere else. It's your job to make it as easy and painless as possible for your customers to get the answers they need to use your product or service so why not Deal with them in a space they feel safe.Strive to always respond to customer requests and issues on the same platform where they originally reached out. 

Talk like a human

Customers are not looking for scripted responses, if solving an issue it is understandable to use technical terms, however once that is solved your conversation should be less formal. This style of communication should also be used when dealing with feedback. Use good judgment to communicate with customers authentically in your own voice. 

Always remember that keeping your customers happy, not only makes sure they remain loyal to you, but also a good experience will push them into recommending you to others.