Most business people are acutely aware that customer feedback is crucial to ensure they are increasing customer satisfaction, but how can you get more of it? The goal is to ultimately gain a better understanding of your customers, along with their feelings about your product. Quality feedback will show you where you can improve, and even where you stand among your competitors.
Feedback will also help to facilitate your company’s growth, which in turn will help your business to thrive, so read on to find some proven methods that will result in higher quality customer service.
Why Customer Feedback Matters
Customer feedback is the information provided by customers about their experience with a company’s product or service. Its purpose is to reveal whether they are happy with their participation. This feedback will help improve the customer experience and can bring about positive change, even if the feedback is negative.
One thing is clear. Taking a proactive approach to collecting customer feedback will ensure that you and your team understand and consider this valuable information.
How You Can Invite More Customer Feedback
Knowing your customer is the first thing. If you don’t know who your customers are, you are flying blind. You’ll have no clear idea what they want and so you won’t be able to meet their expectations. We recommend interviewing customers, following up with courtesy calls to show that you are interested in them and what they have to say. You want to be clear that you are not trying to sell them anything, but that you want to better understand their wants and needs, resulting in a better overall experience for them.
Secondly, keep in mind that there will always be negative comments, which can be very disheartening. Instead of ignoring them, however, you can use them to your advantage. By listening to each customer and considering their criticisms, you can grow your business if you are smart enough to learn from them.
Rewarding Feedback
Everyone loves a rewards program. For your customer, rewards can make them feel that they are important to you, that you know who they are and what they want. It is a great way to show your appreciation to your loyal customers, be it gift cards, vouchers, coupons, or reward points. You can also offer incentives to customers who refer your business to their friends.
At Bartercard, you can initiate a loyalty rewards program where you offer your valued customers deals they can’t resist. This will serve to widen your network, build your presence, gain referrals, and boost your revenue—all proven methods to ensure customer retention management.
To follow on from your rewards program, the best way to cultivate and retain your customers is to make them brand advocates, by continuing your personal engagement with them. This may include offering them exclusive deals such as invitations to special events, making them feel part of your brand and, in turn, promoting it.
Great Customer Service is Key
We all know customer service is crucial for the ongoing health of your business, and that enhancing it will increase customer retention. It makes sense that if we spend time and money on attracting customers, it is even more important to retain them. This entails transforming their experience with you into a truly memorable one—one they will be relating to their friends.
Establishing customer retention as an integral part of your larger marketing strategy is important for the long-term success of your business, and once again, Bartercard can help your business build a loyal customer base! When a Bartercard member does business with you (and you look after them) they will continue to support you and what’s more, they will refer new, cash-paying customers your way.
