To keep the customer satisfaction numbers impressive, there are certain actions every company must take. You likely already know what the basics are.
1. Have a program that continually probes for customer satisfaction levels.
2. Have a program that ensures your program #1 above is being executed.
3. Continually make adjustments in response to customer feedback.
4. Make sure everyone in the organization understands their own role in keeping customers satisfied.
There. The basics. It is easy to write about basic customer satisfaction yet many companies still struggle with #1 and never get to the other basics. That’s baffling to me. The companies which have learned how to excel at the basics and also include advanced actions that achieve an even higher satisfaction level we call Best Customer Retention, have the added advantage of being unique. They stand out. Why do we continually refer to Zappos.com and Amazon and Angies List as examples of companies providing top-notch customer satisfaction? It’s because there are not enough other superlative examples doing business out there that we can cite. The majority of companies, in any industry, do not provide good or great or the best in customer satisfaction. No company should be unique in providing the best in customer satisfaction since it means they would be in the minority. That’s not good news for us buyers.
What sets these unique companies apart is that their customer satisfaction programs rock. They rock the traditional form of service and they rock the customer experience in a positive and meaningful way.
Frankly, I’m weary of citing the same companies over and over again as examples of the best customer satisfaction. Why aren’t we overwhelmed with examples of companies whose customer satisfaction programs rock? They rock customers right up into a feeling of profound customer loyalty. If stories about these companies flew in the door every day, we wouldn’t be talking about how to achieve customer loyalty. It just wouldn’t be an issue any more.
As most of you know, keeping customers satisfied is no guarantee a company will retain the customer’s business. Think of the services and products you have purchased which left you completely satisfied. Now ask yourself which of those companies have solidly, without hesitation, retained your business for the near future. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I can only name a few companies who have my unflinching customer retention. And they all have loyalty and retention programs that rock.
What are the stories you are hearing?
