Being customer-centric means putting your customer at the center of your business operations. From the methods you use to attract clients, to how you serve them when they decide to buy from you to how you interact thereafter, there are many things that go into making a business customer-oriented. By putting your client’s needs before your own, you please clients and this leads to more sales from long-term clients and new clients coming in.
So, how can you create a customer-centric business? Simple, have a strategy! Here are some effective tips to get you started.
1. Understand Your Customer’s Needs
In order to come up with a customer-centric strategy, you need to understand who your target clients are and what they need. Are you targeting men, women, or both genders? Is there a specific age group that is more likely to buy from you? Figure this out and it will be easy to connect with the clients.
Next, you need to understand the specific needs that your target customers have that you intend to solve. This is especially important before introducing a new product or service. Do research online and offline so as to get a clear picture. Look at consumer metrics on your website, analyze customer reviews and scrutinize comments on social media. This will not only let you know what the clients need but also what they want. Combine a mix of what they need and the luxuries they want and you will have happy clients.
Surveys and questionnaires filled by customers willingly can also help you know what they need. Feedback given at company events and physical visits to your address are also important.
2. Involve the Whole Team
Every member of the team needs to be in on your strategy for it to work. It is not just about involving your customer care and marketing team. You also need to involve everyone from the top management to the janitor. Why? A visit to your business is a wholesome experience. The services are just as important as the products. Your client needs to feel that they are appreciated in every way.
Your team should be trained on how to handle client queries and help customers select products. Good communication skills must be instilled in all staff. Making customer-centricity a culture at your business is the only way it will work. Think of using the ‘customer is always right’ mantra among all staff.
3. Prioritize Quality
Everyone wants to get quality for their buck. Ensure that the products or services your business offers are of the highest quality possible. A client who knows they will get quality from you will keep coming back.
Being customer-centric does not mean forgetting about the products you offer. Providing quality demonstrates that you care about your clients. It ensures customer satisfaction which in turn leads to more sales on return purchases. Referrals by clients are also more common when they are assured of quality products
4. Use Targeted Marketing Strategies
With more customers using their phones to shop and compare products, you need to use this marketing platform to reach them. While corporate clients may respond well to email marketing, social media and text message marketing may work better with millennials. Use marketing methods that work with the target clients. No matter what method it is that you use, personalize the content.
An example is using short code texting service to send personalized text messages to potential clients. With just a few words, you can inform clients of new products, offers currently available, and so on. This marketing method is easy because you can reach many people with personalized messages sent at the same time.
5. Have Attentive Customer Service
Clients want fast and effective feedback when they call in. To achieve this, create a customer support system that is equipped with effective communication tools and professional customer care agents. Friendliness and professionalism should be maintained when responding to client queries and comments.
Provide various channels of reaching your support team. Live chats, emails and calls are just but a few options. Also, respond to comments and messages left on social media pages.
Bottom Line
Creating a customer-centric strategy will involve many activities all aiming at making the client the center of attention. Your clients should feel that you are there to serve them and ensure that they get what they need. From how you market the products to how you handle clients on-premise and get feedback, everything should be planned with the client’s needs in mind.
Tracie Johnson is a New Jersey native and an alum of Penn State University. She is passionate about writing, reading, and living a healthy lifestyle. She feels happiest when around a campfire surrounded by friends, family, and her Dachshund named Rufus.
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