Setting the customer experience bar just a little bit higher Our local nursery is a multiple award winner – and not just because they have a wide selection of plants that are healthy and beautifully presented. What sets them apart is their easily identifiable staff who are all trained to help (and unfailingly friendly), displays throughout with garden advice and ideas (which are up to the minute according to the season), and a simple but terrific café overlooking the whole inspirational display, which replicates the same friendly attention to detail. What’s not to like? But have they done anything that you couldn’t do?
- Inspire with good ideas. Don’t just take an order or transact a sale – find out a bit more about your customers, and look for opportunities to make suggestions or start a train of thought. In other words, have something to offer that’s more than what they asked for. It’s probably safe to assume you know more about your product or service than they do, so why not share that knowledge?
- Respond to enquiries straight away – even if it’s just to ask more information about what they require, or get the right person to help them. A quick response could make you stand out from the crowd. This holds true particularly with electronic communication – a rapid personal response to an email or website enquiry will often win instant brownie points.
- If you can’t solve their problem or supply what they need, refer them to an appropriate alternative supplier if you know of one. People will come back if they believe you’re a worthwhile source of information, even if they don’t buy from you right there and then.
- Offer options, even if they haven’t been requested. This is where your expertise comes in – if you think product B will do the job better, even if the customer has asked for product A, give them the details of both – and of course explain the pros and cons of the choice. They may still stick with their original plan, but they’ll appreciate you caring enough to canvas alternatives.
- Of course, make sure this is second nature to all staff who deal with customers. This is about setting a culture of going the extra mile, and arming them with the right information to make it happen. And it doesn’t just apply to sales staff – anyone who speaks or interacts with your customers needs to be on board. The person stacking the shelves can impress with their helpfulness just as effectively as anyone else if they’re armed with the right tools.
Nelson Boswell summed it up this way:
Here is a simple but powerful rule – always give people more than what they expect to get.
How does the experience you give your customers set you apart from the competition?
