Today’s market is a tough place to be. New competitors appear in your niche every day trying to get a larger number of customers. Using effective marketing strategies has never been more important. But while you’re marketing to future customers, don’t forget about the ones you already have. They are a very important potential source of future business. Satisfied customers become repeat customers. Satisfied customers spread positive word-of-mouth messages. Word of mouth can spread simply by talking to others or move across the Internet to social networking sites and industry forums.
How do you keep your customers satisfied? You need to consistently provide superior customer service. The way your current customers feel they are being treated is their perception. Your customer’s perception of your company’s customer service may not necessarily be a reflection of the perception you believe you are giving. Perception is reality, not intention. Therefore, it is imperative that you as a small business owner view your customer service through the eyes of your customer.
To better align your customers’ perceptions with your intentions, it’s important to actively listen to them. What are your concerns? What are their needs that you may not be meeting? Remember that “the customer is always right” even when he is wrong. There will be times when you as a small business owner are unable to accommodate a customer, perhaps because their request is unreasonable. There are some customers who will simply never be satisfied. As a business owner, you have to accept the fact that you can’t make some people happy. However, as long as you handle your complaints with respect and apologizing where appropriate, you can hopefully thwart any negative publicity stemming from your dissatisfaction.
Careful monitoring of your brand’s reputation can prevent long-term damage. There are plenty of free social media tracking tools, like HowSociable and SocialMention, that can help you find out what people are saying about your brand across the web. You can also type your business name into Google and see what comes up. If you find negative comments, please respond respectfully with substantive data to support your response. Always stay professional, even in the face of adversity. Being aware of and managing your reputation will keep you in the driver’s seat and give you the control you need over your own reputation.
There are other proactive methods you can use to gauge customer satisfaction instead of simply monitoring what others are saying about your brand. Customer satisfaction surveys are a great way to get feedback, however the response rate is generally quite low. One suggestion to increase your response rate is to add an incentive to take the survey, such as a raffle, giveaway, or discount on future products or services.
Take advantage of the Internet while managing your reputation and striving to maintain a superior customer service status. Encourage interaction and conversation about your brand and industry niche on the social networking sites and forums you participate in. Monitor the conversations that take place about your brand on the web, manage the relationships you currently have with your customers, and nurture relationships with potential customers.
By managing your reputation and providing superior customer service, you’ll give your brand the best chance of success.