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Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, describes his rationale for that decision as: "A lot of people may think it's strange that an internet company would be so focused on the telephone, when only about % of our sales happen by phone. But we've found that on average, our customers telephone us at least once at some point, and if we handle the call well, we have an opportunity to create an emotional impact and a lasting memory … Our philosophy has been that most of the money we might ordinarily have spent on advertising should be invested in customer service, so that our customers word of mouth." Make sure your ‘Contact Us' page is highly visible and easy to access — and that it actually answers common customer questions you see crop up time and time again.
Meet With Customers In-Person One of the biggest epidemics facing modern organizations is the Phone Number List loss of feedback from in-person meetings. Looking back years, before the advent of the Internet and our diversified global economy, it was far easier for a business to interact with an end customer. Direct, human contact happened on a daily basis simply because it was a necessary part of commerce. If you wanted an item, you went to a store, talked to a salesperson, and bought it in-person. That feedback could be used by a business to improve the consumer experience. Today, in most businesses, this is not the case. Don't get me wrong, the other advances from the digital economy have provided great benefits.
While your potential touchpoints for feedback are far greater due to technology, there is less in-depth contact. How do you combat this? By bringing back the in-person experience. It may seem old school, but hosting in-person events can be beneficial in your quest to customer centrism. By hosting an event, you provide value to two parties: the customers and the brand. For instance, consider Sofi's initiative to host community events across the country. While it's likely a substantial expense, there's a positive externality. And they don't hide it. They claim the benefits of a direct channel to interact with and get feedback from their members, as well as a way to build brand affinity. Not to mention, it's lots of fun, too. . Provide Proactive Customer Service One of the best ways to differentiate your business from its competitors is to provide your customers with added value that extends beyond the point of purchase.
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