Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and left a bigger-than-usual tip after getting great service?
Why’d you give more than usual? Because you felt like your server went above and beyond—and you wanted to reciprocate! So…you were willing to pay a bit more money—even after the fact—in exchange for stellar customer service.
Unsurprisingly, you’re not alone. Most consumers are happy to give a little extra when they receive service that exceeds their expectations. In fact, the same principle holds true for customers in non-dining situations, too.
While researching our latest eBook, X-pectation Files: The truth about small business customers, our crack team of investigators explored the myths and misconceptions surrounding customer service across thousands of business models. For many of our readers, the truths we reveal may shock or even frighten you. But know these secrets, you must, for they are the key to understanding your customers and providing them with the out-of-this-world experiences they’ve been looking for!
Secret #1: People will pay more for better service.
Believe it (or not), consumers are willing to spend a few extra bucks to be pampered. The majority (83% to be exact) are ready to shell out up to 16% more for a top-shelf customer service experience, research shows.
There are several reasons why. For starters, customers love personalized attention. Who doesn’t? That’s no secret; that’s Customer Service 101. But it goes beyond a friendly smile, pleasing tone of voice, or a little outwardly-expressed empathy.
Customers also want effective problem resolution, which can only be granted by paying attention and learning about their needs. In addition, convenience is king, and modern customers expect fast, efficient service at every turn.
What else? Remember, every consumer wants and needs to feel a sense of trust in the product or service they’re buying…and the business behind it. A positive customer service experience goes a long way in conveying that sense of trust, which in turn breeds loyalty.
For all the above and more, customers will pay extra because, frankly, it’s worth it!
“When customers feel appreciated,” writes professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers, “companies gain measurable benefits—including the chance to win more of their customers’ spending dollars.”
Secret #2: To compete, businesses need to elevate their game.
Right now, there are as many as 24 million eCommerce sites in the world. Some sell thousands of products. Amazon alone lists 350 million products, counting its Marketplace sellers!
Suffice it to say, “good enough” isn’t good enough in such a world. “Good enough” definitely won’t fetch your business top dollar, not in today’s digitized, globalized marketplace. To charge more for your products and services, you’ve got to stand out from the crowd.
Distinguishing your business from the competition isn’t always easy (or cheap). But one vital area you can quickly and cost-effectively augment is, you guessed it, customer service. Make a plan to boost your customer service experience across each of your customer touchpoints—starting with your customer service chat and call handling (which we can gladly help with!)
Secret #3: Ask for customer feedback and reviews.
It’s not rocket science—the more feedback you can get, the better you can hone your business’s customer service tactics. So, ask your customers directly and continually “How are we doing?” There is no shortage of easy-to-use survey tools like Pendo that can capture feedback fast to find out what they like, love, or hate!
By the same token, it’s important to seek customer reviews and read them carefully. If they’re posted on social media sites where you can respond, always take the time to write back with a thoughtful, professional reply. Don’t take a passive stance when it comes to reviews, because they can impact your business more than you realize. Instead, study ways to increase and improve your reviews so you can start making them work for you!
Secret #4: Your reputation really does precede you.
Speaking of putting reviews to work, the point behind that is to put your reputation to work! But as Henry Ford said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
You’ve got to spend time actively working on your business reputation by doing “hard things well,” as Jeff Bezos put it. Or if that’s not enough quotes for you, how about “Repetition makes reputation, and reputation makes customers,” a phrase coined by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden.
Once you earn an outstanding reputation, customers will start to seek your business out. This, in turn, will not only lead to more sales but potentially save some of your ad spend dollars. And one of the best ways to garner an impressive reputation? Delivering delightful customer service experiences, over and over again.
Want to uncover more secrets?
Have all these scintillating secrets got you itching to learn more practical tips for boosting your bottom dollar via better customer service?
We understand that feeling—which is why we assembled the X-pectation Files, a free downloadable eBook that answers all your burning questions, including:
Is the phone call truly dead?
Can one bad experience make you lose a customer forever?
Is customer service technology replacing humans?
…and much more!
Want to believe? Download this free resource today!
