In a commodity world, customer loyalty is harder to achieve. Customers want you to stand out and earn their trust. Here is a list of strategies to create a customer centric organization.
1. Get to know the customer. Listen and show you have listened. Deepen the relationship with your knowledge of them and their buying habits.
2. Be the editor for the customer. Help them through choices and information. Have knowledgeable team members give them expert advice. Your team members should have more answers than the customer has questions…..or at least have access to easily finding the answers.
3. Simplify the customer’s life. Are your processes designed for the ease and convenience of the customer? This is a not a new question but it is time to revisit it. Make your processes and systems fast and responsive to your customer’s unique needs.
4. Connect with the customer. Prove you are in a relationship and customize to each individual customer. You can no longer be all things to all customers.
5. Surprise the customer. Call and check in, follow up, provide unexpected useful information – do something to show you are thinking about them. Reward their loyalty by doing the unexpected extra.
Customers are creatures of habit and would rather not take their business elsewhere. Use these strategies and they will stick with you.
All great points – thank you. I particularly like the last point of ‘surprising your customer’ by providing something unexpected.
ian