The Proactive Approach to Customer Satisfaction

Jerry Rackley

Editor's note: Demand Metric and ChamberOfCommerce.com have partnered to exchange original content on their blogs.  The following post is the initial fruit of that partnership.  Visit ChamberofCommerce.com to see some of our content on their blog.

By Megan Totka

In any size company, customer satisfaction is a priority. It’s not enough to simply find consumers – it takes some work to keep them coming back. In a world where cyber word-of-mouth can be devastating, it is important for business owners to vet potential customer problems before they leave a permanent mark. This takes some focused effort and implementation of measured strategies. It is not enough to address a complaint after the fact

There are a few proactive ways that business owners can stay on top of their reputation. These simple steps will lead to a better understanding of how potential customers and clients view your company.

  1. Search your business on Google. Regularly type in your business name, including any variations, and see what pops up. You will likely see your official website, but pay attention to the surrounding links. If a consumer review website comes up, follow the link and see what people are saying about you. Just because the reviews are favorable on one search does not mean they will stay that way. If you see common complaints, like poor customer service or long wait times to receive items, decide how your company can make changes to be more accommodating.
  2. Take the reins on your online identity. Your official webpage will pop up when people search you and hopefully based on the keywords associated with your brand. That’s only one search result, though. Buy all of the domains for your business name and make smaller, minisites based on those addresses. You may also want to set up a Wordpress and Blogger account. Social media profiles are also a good way to fill up that elusive Google “page one.”
  3. Make your contact information readily available. Make it really easy for a customer to find your phone number on your website. Do not simply list an email address, but have a contact form available for customers to fill out. When a problem is reported, deal with it quickly. Do not give the customer the time to complain to someone else or lash out through online channels.
  4. Be accessible through social media. Customers are on sites like Facebook and Twitter much more often than they are on yours. Have profiles set up in these places, and any others that make sense based on your industry. Encourage interaction with your followers and fans through prompts. If consumers get used to the conversational style of your company, they are more likely to come to you with a problem.
  5. Ask for input. Not all dis-satisfied customers go on a cyber-tirade. Some keep it to themselves, but look for a different provider of goods or services the next time they need what you offer. Come up with a direct response program for your company that is designed to seek out minor problems before they snowball. You do not have to take every suggestion that customers make but it will give you a better feel of how your company is performing in key areas like customer service and product quality.
  6. Stress customer service. This is perhaps the easiest, least-expensive way that businesses can assure happy clientele. Do not assume that everyone understands the importance of a helpful, sensitive attitude when dealing with customers. Implement training sessions for new employees and continuing programs in customer appreciation. It is much more difficult to bury bad reviews than to foster good ones. With staff scaled back at so many businesses, most consumers do not expect a high level of customer service when a problem arises. Surprise these clients with professionalism and commitment to meeting their needs.

The worst customer to lose is one that opts not to try your service or product at all, based on what he learns through self-research. You can protect the reputation of your company with intuitive measures. Not only will this improve your client satisfaction, but it will prevent a negative online persona.

Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide. Megan also writes on small business news.

 

Get FREE Marketing tools, templates, how-to guides and webinars with our FREE membership.

Enhanced by Zemanta