How to Exceed Customer Expectations
In our last article we began talking about Creating Excellence in Customer Service by performing a business audit. We talked about the 1st two key points for your audit:
- Know Your People and Your Business
- Know Yourself
Let’s continue the discussion of…
Exceeding your customers’ expectations…
With steps 3 – 5 of conducting your business audit:
3- Know What Sets You Apart From Your Competitors.
If you’ve ever been to a Krispy Kreme donut shop, you know exactly what sets Krispy Kreme apart from it’s competition – an absolutely fun, tasty, and entertaining experience! As you step into the store, you immediately feel the excitement of a less than usual donut buying event; the floor to ceiling windows showcasing conveyor belts full of tasty donuts, bakers busily pacing the bakery floor, music playing, merchandise displayed, and at the end of the line standing in anticipation as your mouth salivates with impatience, FREE DONUTS hot off the assembly line, glazed in frosting, melting in your mouth as your eyeballs take in the beauty of some of the most glorious donut delights you have ever seen!
Taking my two young boys to Krispy Kreme for the first time was like a mini-vacation to Disneyland. They were fascinated to watch the donuts as they were cooked in hot oil, then flipped perfectly as they approached the wall of tumbling frosting, and needless to say, my sons were thrilled with the free donuts waiting for them at the end of the line.
Already full from free donuts, I of course felt obligated to buy a dozen more, along with chocolate milk, gourmet fruit juice, and coffee, and to take a seat with the other patrons there for the donut party.
Krispy Kreme has created an experience like no one in the donut industry has ever come close to, and taking a box of Krispy Kreme donuts to any event is a royal treat. The company has created a culture that is it’s own, and it keeps people coming back for more.
THIS customer experience is exactly what I’m talking about when I ask my clients why I, as a customer, should pick their business over a competitor’s!
If you have something to offer that no one else can, shout it out at the top of your lungs!
If you give all of your new clients a traveling coffee mug stashed with candy so they remember you every morning on their commute to work, isn’t that a great thing? When I go to the grocery store holding your company mug in my hand and the clerk says, “Hey, that’s a cool coffee mug!” I can say, “Yes, my State Farm agent gave me this as a thank you when I bought my new home insurance. She does that for all of her clients!
Maybe that sounds like a bit of stretch, but it’s a true story. My State Farm agent DID give me a beautiful black travel mug lined with rhinestones and people comment on it ALL THE TIME! My insurance agent, Vickie Bergquist, does things like that. She provides gifts to her clients that represent her business, and she has become known for her generosity and caring nature as she provides her clients with useful gifts. She also sends address labels during the holidays, which I use annually and appreciate greatly.
2 – Make Sure Your Clients Know How to Refer People to You.
The key to your clients giving you unlimited referrals is to make it as easy as possible for them to give you referrals! And if they aren’t clear about what it is you specialize in, how can they tell their friends about you?
Educating your clients about your products and services is a vital part of building your business. And asking a simple question like, “Who do you know that might also benefit from our services?” is a powerful and simple way to get some referrals!
If you know your clients have had an exceptional experience working with you and your team, ask them to help you spread the word. Tell them what you want, which is to grow your business with other clients just like them, and let them know what an honor it would be to gain their trust through referrals. If you’ve got something great to offer, help your clients to know how to market and refer you. Do it daily.
3 – Make Sure Your Colleagues and Customers Fully Understand All of Your Products and Service Offerings.
The average professional has many people in his or her active business network, yet many of those contacts don’t truly understand all of the professional’s product or service offerings.
If you don’t believe this is true, all you need to do is show a client or colleague a list of your products or services and watch for his typical response. “Wow! I never knew you did that, too!”
The important lesson in this piece is never to take for granted that your clients, or the team that you lead, understand the depths of your services and specialties. Make it easy for people to know how to utilize your services by shining the light brightly on your talent and your skills.
I can help you build a great customer experience in your business.
Order my book today or contact me at 425-241-4855 to schedule a workshop.