In this “customer is king” marketplace, every aspect of an organization—from strategy and marketing to talent and culture—revolves around the customer. Yet, many marketers are too overwhelmed with the day-to-day tactics to take the time to really listen to their customers. When business success depends on how you communicate with and treat your customers, this is a deadly mistake. Today’s customers are less influenced by the brand message than they are by the experience brands provide.
Here are four reasons creating an exceptional customer experience is essential to business success:
- Consumers are more demanding than ever. Increased competition and evolving technology empower customers with more information about companies and their offerings. Today, more than ever, consumers know what they want and with whom they want to do business. To keep pace with customers, offer 24/7 access to the information, products, services and support they seek.
- A personal customer experience drives loyalty. Although customers rely on technology to make purchasing decisions, they still seek personal connections with their brands of choice. Meaningful and memorable connections lead to brand loyalty. Ground your brand identity and connections in emotional values and use them whenever you communicate with customers whether through social media, by phone or in person.
- The best performing companies prioritize the customer experience. Successful companies are in regular communication with their customers. In fact, companies that prioritize the customer experience gain 43 percent in performance, compared to those that aren’t customer-centric and experience a 33.9 percent decrease. To make this a reality, organizations need to shift their mindset away from a singular focus on the bottom line. When customers’ needs come first, profits will follow.
- Customers talk about their experiences, especially the bad ones. Both positive and negative experiences have a direct impact on customer loyalty, but 95 percent of people who have a bad experience tell someone about it, and more than half of those people share the story at least five times. When the bad experiences are shared via social media, negative reviews and other online channels, companies can have a difficult time recovering from the backlash. To avoid bad reviews, survey customers, find out where their experiences are lacking and make changes to address their concerns.
Truly understanding customers’ needs not only improves the buying experience, but can also have a dramatic impact on the bottom line. The key to creating a positive customer experience is to put the customer at the center of everything the organization does, and then ensure flawless connections throughout the consumer’s journey. To learn more about how you can develop an exceptional customer experience through targeted and meaningful messaging, contact Trade Press Services today.