It’s not surprising that so many companies have to ensure that customers return and purchase from them again in a world where customer satisfaction has become the primary goal of every company. This blog post will talk about who is responsible to delight prospects and customers so that they can get repeat business.

It is easy to criticize. Most people prefer to give feedback rather than suffer the negative consequences of giving praise.

Think about it: What if you work hard and someone else takes credit? Wouldn’t that make you feel guilty? Who is responsible to delight prospects and customers? If that happens, you have every right to do so. What about your customers when they have the opportunity to voice their opinion?

Are they truthful? Are they truthful? Do they always say what is necessary? Is there another message being sent out that is not only harmful but also makes everyone miserable and confuses prospects and customers?

Let’s explore how vital this question is and why it might be so important for your business to deliver on its promises.

Why is delighting customers important?

Let’s first understand why delighting customers and prospects is so important. It can result in better word-of-mouth marketing.

People will tell friends about positive experiences more than bad ones. That’s the type of marketing you can’t purchase. It comes from people who are truly happy with what they have done for them.

It doesn’t end there. An extremely satisfied customer is more likely to refer others to you, return to your business and leave positive feedback online. In other words, happy customers can improve your bottom line in many ways.

How can you delight customers? It is not as hard as you might imagine. There are many things you can do for your customers to feel valued and special.

Begin by listening to them. Listen to what they have to say and listen to their feedback.

Show them you care and strive to exceed their expectations. Be sure that your products and services meet their standards and be willing to go the extra mile.

Although it takes effort to please customers, it is well worth the effort. Every business must find ways to connect on a personal basis with customers to succeed.

Customers are the best way to make a lasting impression and can transform your business.

Be a leader and show customers that you care. You’d be amazed at the possibilities for your business to grow and where it could end up.

It is important to remember that each customer should feel appreciated for purchasing.

You can trust them with every transaction. If you want to increase your clientele, you must make them feel special.

A satisfied customer will return for more. However, a customer who has been treated poorly may decide to move on.

You can make every client feel special and offer discounts, exclusive offers, or other perks to help them make more purchases.

How to Delight Customers

Don’t you think that in a world where customers and prospects have more power than ever, it’s time for your company to stop focusing on selling and instead focus on delighting?

The most sustainable way to increase revenue is to delight existing customers, and not sell more products and services.

Re-engagement campaigns and loyalty programs based on customer needs are two examples of best-in-class marketing strategies. They know that they have to continuously add value to drive growth in today’s hypercompetitive environment.

When compared over five years, the revenue gap between companies that provide excellent service and those that offer average services can reach as high as $300 million.

However, it is challenging to deliver exceptional service. Forrester Research found that only 31 percent of companies provide excellent service, and the majority deliver average service.

It’s no surprise that The Aberdeen Group states that customers who are focused on optimizing their networks for efficiency and customer satisfaction will suffer.

This is not surprising in some ways. Many organizations are already struggling to find the resources they need to manage new technology platforms, integrate social media into their overall marketing strategy, and create online communities with customers all over the globe from one location.

Who has the time or the budget to ensure that your frontline staff members can delight customers?

How can employees be encouraged to embrace the art and provide a service experience that delights customers at every stage of their relationship?

Delivering Excellence in Service: The Four-Step Blueprint to a Successful Implementation

We sat down to discuss this question with thought leaders in customer service excellence.

We’ve collected their responses into a four-step guideline. These are meant to give you insight and tools to help your company deliver on its promise of providing excellent customer service. Let’s get started!

STEP 1 – BUILD A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC SERVICE STRATEGY.

This requires you to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and think long-term about ways that you can make their lives easier.

“What frustrates your customers?” says Ellie Mirman, vice president of marketing at FreeConferenceCall.com. What can you do to make them happy? Research is key.

For FreeConferenceCall.com that meant finding out what frustrated conference call attendees most when using their service–and then doing something about it.

The company’s Click to-Dial option was launched. It allows users to dial in quickly without navigating through multiple menus on their computer or mobile device.

This simple, yet effective solution was created with customers in mind. It has greatly reduced customer frustration levels since its introduction.

STEP 2 – MAKE SERVICE A TOP PRIORITY IN THE ORGANIZATION.

This means that customer service should not be left to the frontline staff, but must be understood and accepted by everyone within the company.

John DiJulius, president and CEO of The John DiJulius Group says that customer service should be an integral part of your company’s culture. This means customer service should not be left to the frontline staff, but must also be a responsibility for senior management, operations, and accounting.

Starbucks, for example, aims to foster a culture of warmth and care where everyone is empowered to make an impact on the customer experience.

Everyone is expected to give exceptional customer service, from the barista who takes orders to the manager of the store. Starbucks is a global brand that values service.

STEP 3 – TRAIN EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY CAN DELIVER WOW SERVICE.

This includes providing employees with the training and tools they need to provide exceptional customer service.

Mirman states that employees must receive the training and resources necessary to deal with all customer interactions. “This training must be continuous and centered around customer service.

STEP 4 – ENCOURAGE CUSTOMER SERVICES EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE.

This means that everyone within your company, no matter their role or position in the hierarchy, should be empowered to deliver exceptional customer service.

DiJulius says that customer service must be a core value in your company. It must be displayed at all levels. This means that everyone, from the CEO to the employees, must focus on and be committed to providing outstanding service.

Zappos, for example, focuses on creating a culture of service across the company where employees are encouraged and pushed to do more for customers.

Tony Hsieh, a CEO, has created this culture and encourages employees to always put customers first.

Zappos is a well-known online retailer that offers exceptional customer service.

STEP 5 – MEASURE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND REVIEW RESULTS REGULARLY.

This involves monitoring customer satisfaction levels and taking steps to resolve any issues. Mirman says, “You need to measure customer satisfaction and evaluate the results frequently.” You must correct any problems with the results.

American Express, for example, focuses on continuous improvement. They regularly monitor customer satisfaction across a variety of channels, including online and phone.

This data-driven approach allows them to identify areas of weakness and make necessary adjustments to improve customer experience.

STEP 6 – ACT FOLLOW-THROUGH CONCERNING YOUR EFFORTS.

Customers and/or employees should be contacted regularly to make sure the desired results are achieved. DiJulius says it’s crucial to follow up with team members regularly, perhaps weekly, to review their performance. If they are not performing well, then you should take corrective actions.

JetBlue employees can access a variety of new technologies, including Sprinklr Social Suite. This allows them to monitor social media channels and respond to any mentions of the company.

This encourages employees to offer exceptional service and ensures that all complaints are resolved promptly.

Every member of your team must work hard and be dedicated to providing exceptional customer service.

These six steps will help you create a culture of customer service excellence that makes your customers happy every time they contact your company.

Conclusion

There is no single department or person responsible for delighting customers and prospects. Customers have to be happy. It takes everyone working together.

This applies to everyone, from the customer service team to marketing to the executive team. A customer-centric culture is one of the best ways customers will be happy.

This ensures that every employee is committed to delivering a positive customer experience and meeting customers’ needs. Employees should be empowered to make customer-beneficial decisions and held accountable.

A strong customer service team is another key element in delighting customers. Customer service should be able to handle any issue, no matter how simple it may seem.

This team should be able to answer questions and provide information about company policies. Although outsourcing customer service may save money in the short-term, many companies find it to be more expensive in the long term because of the impact on customer loyalty.

Excellent customer service requires communication with customers via multiple channels.

Digital media is the king of today’s digital age. This includes social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to communicate with customers, provide updates about product availability, and promote sales. You can also use it to advertise online and send out emails.

Building strong relationships with customers is key to keeping them coming back over the years. Invite customers to participate in product development and testing.

Giving them incentives such as discounts or special promotions can make them feel valued and encourage loyalty.

When everyone within the company puts in the effort to satisfy customers’ needs, customer delight can be achieved. This includes a positive corporate culture, but also engaging prospects and customers via multiple channels.

Companies can build loyal customers by working together toward a common goal. This blog post will answer the question “Who is responsible for delighting prospects or customers?”