By Sharon Hooper
These days, competition between businesses is growing at a fast pace. There are so many firms on the market selling the same product. You either win, or lose; there is no middle ground. That is why you need to have the best game plan on the market.
The essential element to winning the market race is your customer. He holds all the power. Without buyers, there would be no market, and no company. We would sell nothing to nobody. Thus, make sure your game plan is based on a customer-centric strategy. Here are seven habits that can transform your company into a customer-centric business.
1. Take Care of Your Buyers
Working with customers is extremely important to improve your company’s image. Words spread fast, so treating customers properly will quickly bring new ones in. Listening is a great way to begin. Use surveys and questionnaires to get feedback from them. Open a delivery service that is efficient and way faster than your competition’s. Implement a call-center that is available 24/7, and answer all their questions within a few minutes. Offer them all the support and help they need, and see how their purchasing rate grows.
A good example of an amazing customer-concentric company is Amazon, with its CEO Jeff Bezos. In an interview dating from 1997, he shares his thoughts on the strategy:
Attention is the scarce commodity of the late 20th century, and one of the ways you can do that—and it’s the way we did it—is by doing something new and innovative, for the first time, which actually has real value for the customer.”
2. Hire the Best People
If customers feel important, they buy more. So be sure you hire the best people in the field. You might want to recruit enthusiastic people who know how to do their jobs. This investment will be costly in the short run, but don’t get scared. The long-term advantages outweigh the costs. Remember: great employers bring great customers.
3. Quality Over Quantity
Imagine selling pottery ceramics. Say 100 customers are buying your product each month. Ten out of 100 are already on your old pottery buyers’ list, each purchasing items that add up to at least $1000/month. The other 90% buy new products from time to time, but they do not invest in your company constantly.
This is when you have to think smart. Approach the quality over quantity strategy. You should take care of the 10% more than the rest of 90%. Keeping your buyers interested by investing in them will get you the money. Don’t disregard the others, but focus on your stable clientele.
4. Are Your Employees Excited?
The reward strategy is one of the best strategies you could use to keep your employees excited about their work. If they feel cared about, they will stay engaged in their roles. For example, make a rule: If someone reaches a quota of X new customers brought into the firm, that person receives a bonus of Y% added to their salary for at least 3 months.
5. Stalk the Competition
I know – in your opinion – your products are the best on the market. But do customers think the same? Study your competition and make sure you do what they don’t. Read their reviews, and improve yourself on what they are missing. For instance, if their customer service is poorly managed, make sure yours is the best! Stalking is never a bad idea when it comes to improving your own sales rate.
6. Learn From Your Mistakes
Many people are under the impression that once they are on top, they could never go back to the roots. Such behavior can quickly lead to a fallback. We need to make sure we are actively listening to our clients’ feedback, and making relevant changes. Take every opinion into consideration because you never know what adjustment will bring you the most advantages.
7. Consistency and Responsiveness
Being persistent and consistent in your work towards customer satisfaction is the key to quick progress. Make sure your clients are constantly receiving your messages. Personalize the e-mails or texts you send, and do not repeat the same message over and over again. That won’t get you anywhere, they will get bored of you and unsubscribe. Find something exciting and new to present every day.
I am again highlighting how important it is to respond to your customers in a timely manner. They want to buy your product quickly, and if they have to wait days for a response, they might change their minds. We are living in a digital world – make sure you stay connected all the time!
A customer-centric strategy is going to help you thrive in the market. Having engaged employers, being responsive and consistent, and paying attention to customers’ feedback will bring you more advantages than you can imagine. Remember – making customers feel important is the key to success!
