How to Create a Powerful Customer Experience Strategy
You probably have a good idea what it is like to deal with an infuriated customer – either you were one yourself or you were on the other side, politely smiling and nodding. “The customer is king” is an old business saying that seems tailored to the customer service branch of marketing. The fact of the matter is that modern economy is based on the acts of buying and selling. Pertaining to the second, marketing is a vital cog in the machine.
In its turn, customer experience is a form of selling – you sell the image of a responsible and effective company that is concerned with the happiness of its customers. This reaches deep down in the psyche of the customer, stroking cords of self-appreciation and recognition. We all want to be listened to and customer service officers do just that.
Darwinian customer service
However, not every company has understood that human interaction has always been and still is a vital part of the path to commercial success. No one will continue to require the services of a company that treated him or her poorly. The only change is represented by the megaphone that is social media and which is given to the customer. A bad review or an angry customer can now be heard by thousands, creating a lasting impression on a single product or on the whole company, seriously damaging profits.
The companies that have sprung up as a result of the IT development wave have understood the importance of customer experience. Using the immediate connectivity offered by the internet, they have invested in establishing a relationship with their clients. For example, online retailers have a strict policy of communication with customers, every call being recorded and every complaint form filed receiving a reply. Many companies have found chat services like the ones mentioned here to be very effective. Soon enough, sales started to rise.
Customer Experience Strategies
Satisfying the customer should therefore always be the aim of any company. Their preference for the company’s products, be they frying pans or consulting services, is a guarantee of the company’s subsequent market share. However, mere customer satisfaction does not ensure long-term success. As such, a customer experience strategy has to be at the core of any future change in the direction of the company.
To provide the best customer experience, some marketing companies have developed intricate, multi-layered strategies and methods of analysis. Beyond data gathering, the service provider must always list key instructions for employees that deal with customers. At this point, company policy should be framed accordingly. However, some companies lose sight of the importance of customer experience, allowing their employees to operate unchecked.
The New Medium
Online presence is also something every company must adhere to. Simply put, a company that does not maintain a constant level of online activity is non-existent to most of its possible clients. Interactions in social media, posts and online campaigns are the new norm in terms of customer experience.
Through such methods, companies can offer a kind of proxy for the experience of direct contact. In this way, large segments of the audience can be reached and instilled a positive impression of the company without ever having laid eyes on a company representative. Cost-effective, this new way of creating a powerful customer experience has seen increasing popularity recently. To this end, some name brands such as Coca-Cola have engaged in social media humor and playful counters with competitors.
Employees and Company Image
The truth is that traditional customer experience starts and often is limited to interactions with company employees. Aside from a standardized form of dealing with clients, a company should also encourage its customer service officers to engage people on a personal level. Friendliness and responsiveness can go a long way in creating an impression.
Companies also try to promote an image of themselves aside from their products. This image pertains to general outlook, style and vision. For example, Silicon Valley IT companies are the most blatant example of “new money” in the market. Molding on their target audience but also adding their own characteristics, they attain an image of youth, creativity and overall novelty.
The image a company creates through its employees and the general online presentation of itself causes customers to strongly relate to it. Shared values and understandings create bridges on which products can be moved in the future, and that is marketing done right.
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