As the prowess of social media networks & ability to instantly tell your followers, friends & family how you’re feeling grows, the dynamics of power has shifted from brands to consumers. Gone are the days when companies simply could rely on their marketing to do the talking for their products and organizations. They now have to rely on what their customers are saying.A recent report from Forrester showed that 70% of consumers put their faith in brand recommendations from friends; but, only 10% trusted traditional advertising.In such a scenario it is of utmost importance that your customer is satisfied with your business and that he is writing, sharing and communicating positively about your brand.
Here are a few key ways to ensure that you are ensuring customer satisfaction.1) Say Thank You – As a business, a simple thank you to customers can do wonders for the way customers associate with your brand. Your thanks can be conveyed in the form of a discount, a small gift during the festive season, handwritten notes, a simple personalized email, or even a pre-printed thank you.2) Respond quickly – This is the age of the instant answer and for most customers; a one-working-day response for an email is too slow. There are a number of individuals who professionally do freelance client servicing jobs and provide you with services that would include instantly replying to customer emails.3) Be honest – A very instrumental part of ensuring customer satisfaction is that you as a brand are honest with the customer. Be it in terms of product specifics, expected results, deliveries or anything else – say only what you mean! In the long run, you’ll build a strong and persistent customer base.4) Keep tabs – Today’s customer is undoubtedly more vocal and to channel this opinioned customer, there are so many different channels! Social media is the hub of customers who are seeking, speaking and recommending brands. If your full time employees are unable to carefully scour social media feeds to keep tabs on customers who speak about your brand, convert these positions into freelance jobs. Hiring a freelancer comes with a multitude of benefits.
5) Hire the best – While this one tip is the most obvious, it must be said. Hiring customer-oriented, friendly, and personable employees and then training them in a manner that is a reflection your brand, prepares your organization to be conducive to higher levels of customer satisfaction.