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All of us have been customers at one time or another, and we’ve probably all had a less than ideal customer service experience. When we think about those experiences, all the feelings we felt at the time come to the surface.
Negative customer service experiences can have a profound impact on our feelings about a particular company or brand, and those negative feelings can be difficult, if not impossible, to forget. That’s why every business operating today must have solid strategies to prioritize customer service and a customer-centric culture. Without satisfied customers, no business can expect to survive, and providing service is the main reason such businesses are started.
Companies that prioritize their customers’ needs and wants and put their happiness at the center can expect better engagement, loyalty, reviews and overall success. According to studies, 73% of consumers say that a good customer experience is key to influencing brand loyalty.
Here are some actionable steps companies can take to build a strong customer-centric culture and create loyal fans of their brand.
Related: How to Cultivate a Customer-Centric Approach to Brand Building
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
Building and fostering a culture within a company is often a slow process because its leaders have many factors to consider. For example, the brand must resonate with the target audience, the brand message must be targeted, and everything must sync with the overall values of the company.
It can take months, even years, to finally get it right and ensure all these aspects are aligned by finding the right language, copy, look and feel to capture customers’ attention and entice them to repeat business with the brand . Entrepreneurs need to remember that when building their business, patience is a virtue. Creating a customer-centric culture won’t happen overnight.
That said, companies should prioritize customer service as their business evolves from concept to operational brand. If customer service is an integral part of the brand culture from the beginning, it will eventually become second nature to all stakeholders, including customers.
A commitment from the leadership
An organization’s leadership must lead by example by prioritizing customer service and embodying customer-centricity values in their actions and decisions. A commitment to meeting customer needs should be present in all aspects of their leadership.
Additionally, leaders’ vision for customer service must be adequately communicated to the rest of the organization. All employees, at all levels, should be aware of how the company prioritizes its customers and make this an integral part of their daily approach to their roles.
At the same time, employees should have enough autonomy to make decisions that allow them to provide exceptional customer service and an overall customer-centric culture. Employees who go above and beyond in this area should be recognized and rewarded.
Related: 4 Ways to Provide Excellent Customer Service
Training in progress
To make customer centricity part of the organization’s culture, employee onboarding and training must have a customer-centric focus. Employees should receive extensive training in customer service approaches that meet the organization’s goals and values.
Employee feedback should also be taken into consideration, especially feedback from employees who work directly with customers day in and day out. If leaders have set clear expectations for their employees, ongoing training should simply be a refresher on the organization’s values and goals.
Listen to customers
A significant component of providing exceptional customer service is listening to what customers want and acting on their requests. Businesses should implement systems to collect customer feedback through surveys or review requests.
Customer feedback should be analyzed regularly to determine whether the company is meeting the needs of its target market or whether it may be falling short in certain areas. Companies should also remain transparent with customers about changes, errors or misfires by keeping lines of communication open. This will allow customers to feel that their input and feedback really makes a difference and businesses will feel like they are receiving valuable feedback from their customers.
Continuously adapt, pivot and improve
Part of any successful customer service strategy is being ready to adapt to changing customer needs and the ability to pivot to meet those needs. If a company has remained customer-centric, it already understands the customer’s needs, preferences and pain points. By collecting and analyzing customer feedback, brands should be able to identify whether those needs, preferences or pain points are changing and work proactively to meet the new needs.
Companies that are as flexible and agile as possible in responding to changing customer desires and trends will ultimately be most successful.
Related: Why You Must Learn to Adapt
Fostering a customer-centric culture is no longer a simple option. It’s a necessity in today’s ultra-competitive landscape.
The good news is that there are various strategies that companies can adopt to ensure that their customers feel heard, involved and cared for. From leadership engagement to employee empowerment, from listening to customer feedback to adopting metrics and analytics, each approach plays a crucial role in creating an environment that allows customers to feel valued and where their needs are constantly satisfied.