How can you increase customer retention, get referrals, and remain competitive as a small business? It’s simple: offer the very best customer experience. Great customer service is a foundational component to any company’s success. And while providing great customer care isn’t new, how brands are able to show up for their customers is improving.
Due to technological advancements, businesses can be with their customers throughout the sales funnel. From the moment a user engages with your brand, you can support them. Send a quick DM to any new follower on Instagram or use a chatbot to greet someone when they land on your homepage. Technology also lets you better track engagements and enhance your customer service. Think of each interaction with a customer as a unique learning opportunity for your brand.
As a small business, you may need to be a bit more focused in your customer service efforts. With limited resources, the way you approach this arm of your business may look different than for larger corporations. That said, here’s your guide to achieving a gold star in the customer care department.
1. Automate as Much as Possible
The best customer experience is seamless. Your customers aren’t waiting on a response from your company, and you aren’t manually handling each customer interaction. Automation can reduce friction between you and your buyers and provide a similarly stellar experience for all customers. Of course, automation takes a bit of investment on your end. But with the right systems and processes in place, you can rest assured that your company is putting your customers first.
Booking software for small business is one type of system that will help you automate mundane duties. This software is great for businesses that need to engage with customers in real time, such as salons, groomers, and house cleaners. It gives customers a real-time snapshot of your schedule, allowing them to book with you directly. If someone needs to reschedule, they can do so directly from the platform. With automatic scheduling in place, you’re able to concentrate on growing and improving your business.
Incorporating artificial intelligence into your operations will inevitably lead to automated processes. An AI-driven customer relationship management system can automatically send welcome emails to new customers and generate invoices. A chatbot can answer routine customer questions and route the complex ones to the right person to speed a response. By making life easier for your human reps, AI makes the overall customer experience better.
2. Get Personal
Personalization is no longer a nice-to-have for small businesses. Rather, it’s assumed that customers will be receiving a tailored, unique experience that meets — or exceeds — their needs. By providing a personal experience, you are creating a relationship between you and the customer. This goes a long way toward fostering loyalty and retention, particularly when you’re a small business seeking growth.
Personalized experiences will look different based on your specific industry and offering. Spotify, for instance, recommends music and podcasts based on a listener’s history, thereby prompting them to continue spending time within the app. Alternatively, Grammarly — a cloud-based writing assistant — sends users a report each week. This detailed email includes a progress report as well as tips on ways they can improve their writing style.
Both of these examples can inspire ways to meet your customer’s needs. You can offer recommendations to consumers during their online shopping experience based on their search history. Or you can send an email newsletter with product-based content based on their shopping behaviors. For example, a plant nursery can send a watering and care guide a day or two after a customer makes a purchase.
3. Resolve Issues Promptly
As great as your product or service is, users will experience problems from time to time. A customer may receive a damaged product due to packing or delivery issues. An item on your site may be listed as available but may actually be out of stock. Regardless of the issue at hand, it’s important to address and resolve it promptly. Doing so will enhance your customer experience, proving to the buyer that you are indeed putting their needs first.
Handling issues promptly requires you to first listen to the complaint or request at hand. Ensure that the customer feels heard and that their frustration is understood. Then make sure to document the issue using a customer support platform such as Zendesk or Issuetrak. This is a crucial step, as you’ll be able to analyze and explore this data to improve customer service down the line. If you keep seeing a specific item damaged in transit, for example, you may need to alter your shipping methodology.
Then, depending on the issue, find a solution that is pleasing to the customer. In this case, you may decide to reship the item free of charge with expedited shipping. Adding a discount to the item or a coupon for future use will further soothe ruffled feathers. Once the issue has been resolved, follow up with the customer via email or text to ensure they are satisfied. Apologize again for the inconvenience and let them know that you appreciate their business.
Conclusion
Customer care is a vital factor in your small business’s longevity. Every consumer has a choice when it comes to where they spend their money. Rather than regarding each purchase as a transaction, think about who is behind that exchange. This mentality will contribute to your overall success and differentiate you from your competitors.
