Customer satisfaction must always be a priority if you’re hoping to build a brand and grow over time. And while there are plenty of positive things you can do to delight customers, everything can unravel at a moment’s notice by doing the wrong things.
Stop Doing These 5 Things
It’s easy to get frustrated by some of the things customers do, but it’s important to remember that they’re people just like you. If it weren’t for some of the basic mistakes most companies make, customers would be much more delightful to interact with on a regular basis. They simply want to be treated well, and you – as well as every other company – owe them that courtesy.
1. Too Much Promotion
“One of the biggest mistakes we see companies making when it comes to online marketing strategies is the tendency to post self-promotional materials only,” says Eric Siu of Single Grain. “And really, nobody wants to follow a company that can’t stop talking about itself long enough to post something of real value!”
It’ll seem counterintuitive at first, but the less you explicitly publish self-promotional material, the greater return you’ll see on your content. Instead of feeling like they’re captivated by your content, they’ll feel like part of the conversation.
2. Unresponsive Customer Service
Nothing is more infuriating to a customer than encountering unresponsive customer service. Whether it’s long wait times on the phone, generic email responses, or a lack of understanding, you can’t afford to be insensitive to the needs of your customers. Quick and appropriate responses will go a long way towards rebuilding any relationships that were previously damaged.
3. Slow Website
A commonly cited Aberdeen Group study shows that a one-second delay in page load time equals a 16 percent decrease in customer satisfaction. In other words, slow websites make people mad. But the issue is that most businesses never do anything about their slow sites. Instead, they just pretend like nothing is wrong and ignore the complaints.
If you want to delight your customers and quantifiably impact your bottom line, invest in a faster site. It’s often as simple as switching to a new server and compressing some of your files. As the Aberdeen Group study reveals, even improving loading time by one second can make a big difference.
4. Deceptive Offers
Fine print is a tool for deceivers. You may argue that fine print is a legal tool or mechanism for mitigating risk, but the reality is that it’s meant for deception. Have you ever seen really exciting information hidden in those tiny words? Let us know if you have because it’s pretty unusual.
Customers dislike deception. That’s why they generally detest cable providers, who always tack on extra charges and change fees with very little notice. Unless you like upsetting customers, stop making deceptive offers and start telling the truth. This change of pace will be refreshing to customers and many will reward you for your efforts in honesty.
5. Lack of Personalization
Do you treat every customer you encounter like just another number? Today’s customers want to be treated like individuals and expect you to tailor your service and product offerings to them. If you fail to do this, they’ll simply go elsewhere.
Stop Making Your Customers Mad
It’s time to stop unintentionally frustrating your customers and start correcting some of these blatant issues. The good news is that most of them are easily reversible. Start with the five on this list and you’ll be in a much better place. Your customers will love you, employees will be happier, and the bottom line will benefit as a result.
