Creating Trust
Customers want to feel confident with the companies they do business with. It doesn’t matter what type of business you’re in or how you sell. It can be a manufacturer, a brick-and-mortar retailer, an online e-commerce company – basically any type of business must create confidence.
I’ve been preaching for years that the way to create confidence is to deliver a consistent and predictable experience. And, that is still the most powerful way to get a customer to trust you. When your customers know you will always do what you say, you will always be on time, you will always do what you promise, you are always are polite and appreciative … well you get the idea. That word always is a pretty powerful word. It’s about consistency and predictability.
There is one more piece I’d like to add to the concept of confidence, which is to guarantee whatever it is that you do or sell.
Why do people like to shop at Nordstrom? They know they are going to get great merchandise delivered with great service. In addition, they know that if for any reason they are unhappy with their purchase, or if there is a problem with whatever they bought, they know that Nordstrom has their back and will give them a refund or exchange the product.
I recently had the chance to talk to Aaron Leon of LD Products. His company sells remanufactured ink cartridges for copiers and printers. You might have a brand name printer like a Cannon or HP, but you don’t have to buy brand name ink cartridges from those same brands. LD Products prides itself on a very cost effective alternative, sometimes saving the customer as much as 70% off the brand names. And, while LD Products promises great customer service, they know that they have a battle with the perception of the quality of remanufactured ink cartridges. So, what did Aaron Leon do? He offered a guarantee that takes all of the risk out of the purchase.
Just how strong is the guarantee? Basically, if for any reason you have a problem – which you won’t – or you’re not happy, LD Products will take the product back and refund your money. That’s a nice guarantee, but the quintessential guarantee statement can be summed up with what Aaron Leon tells his customers:
“If you don’t like the color of the box, we’ll take it back!”
Now, that’s a guarantee!
So, are you so comfortable with your products and services that you’re willing to offer that kind of guarantee to your customers? Think about the trust and confidence that it would create. Think about the increase in sales. Think about the repeat and loyal customers. Creating customer confidence means delivering a consistent, predictable experience and standing behind your product or service – with a guarantee.
