In the business world, customers are everything. A sudden turn in public opinion can have customers leaving in droves, and businesses struggling, and even failing, to bring them back. All it takes is another company offering something better to topple even a longstanding empire.
Part of that “something better” is customer service. Your customers need to feel valued and need to see you as a source of value. They are spending their money on your brand, which means they need to believe it is worthwhile. A good way to assure them that they are in safe hands with you is to improve customer relations.
How do you go about doing that? Start by following these steps:
Invest in a Great Point-of-Contact Solution
First impressions matter, and customers have very little patience. These two facts mean having a point-of-contact solution is essential to fostering and improving customer relations. If someone calls up your business or emails you, then you need to respond promptly. If you can’t easily do this on your own 100% of the time, then the next best thing is to invest in Best Reception’s outsourced customer services.
With a virtual receptionist, you have someone on hand to take and answer customer enquiries, pass on messages, or even book appointments, helping you improve your relationship with every customer while also never missing a beat, booking, or sale.
Start Personalisation, Now
You may think that you’re too small of a business to offer personalisation, but that isn’t true. All you need is a customer relationship management tool to keep track of individual customers. In the beginning, this can even be done manually. For example, someone books your hair salon. You input their name, what they got, how much they paid, and personal notes so that you can serve them better again the next time. Even just remembering client names and what they got the last time can do wonders for your customer relationship.
Provide Automated Emails
Automated emails are so easy to set up, and so important for improving your customer relationships. These emails can cover things such as:
- Payment confirmation
- Dispatch notifications
- Booking confirmation
- Booking reminders
- And more
These just offer a bit more service and peace of mind to customers, and can also help you by minimising the number of times a customer needs to get in touch with you directly for confirmation.
Be Personable and Authentic
In a world of AI and automation, it’s important to stand out with authenticity. This can go a long way towards improving your customer relations, especially when it comes to social media marketing. Small businesses can do wonders just by putting real faces on their reels and posts, and by feeling authentic and raw. The great news is that this craving for authenticity means you don’t need to blow your budget on editing or production. People-first, authenticity always, and try to develop a unique brand voice that sounds real and suits your business. All small businesses can benefit from this focus on personable authenticity, especially as it helps move customers to see you as real people, who they like and trust.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
