In this age of unparalleled customer engagement, businesses are constantly learning of new ways to improve customer centric practices by understanding when to pivot.
Knowing how to realign an organization in relation to what a consumer needs is a beautiful step in the right direction of growth. We have more real time feedback than ever before; at the same time, the business world is evolving, with innovative new approaches to customer relationships and communication.
Whether something is just not working in your current approach or you simply want to stay up-to-date on the latest industry ideas for flawless customer service, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 3 exciting and crafty customer-centric practices that just could be the key to better service at your organization.
Makeover Your Benchmarks: Set New Performance Standards Based on Customer Success
If your employees are all vying for benchmarks based on the company’s success rather than the client’s, you’re not taking a customer-centric approach. Rather than focusing purely on things like sales targets or how quickly your employees can get through a customer’s budget, provide rewards and opportunities based on whether genuine customer success and happiness is met.
There are a range of metrics that can be used in accordance with this methodology, but the overarching idea is that the customer’s needs come before the organization’s and that employees maintain genuine interest in client success. Sometimes this means going above and beyond, or putting in effort that won’t result in immediate profit. But at the end of the day, a track record of customer success will render significant return on investment in the form of a stellar reputation, strong customer retention, and referrals.
Invest in Your Support Team
Your support team is at the core of your company’s success and its image among customers both current and prospective. Don’t let these roles be filled by clock-watching, uninvested employees, even if they don’t do anything outwardly incorrect. Invest in education, team-building, and morale-boosting initiatives for this team and kick-start their passion for customer service. Incentivize and reward exceptional dedication to the mission. And, most importantly, recruit individuals who have demonstrated excellence in customer service and fostered client relationships in the past.
Attracting natural talent to your support team positions may be a little costlier than hiring inexperienced, entry-level prospects. But don’t make the mistake of thinking support roles are not skilled roles. If you want customer centricity and all its benefits, investing time and money in your support team and being selective in your hiring decisions are all efforts that will prove advantageous over time.
Don’t Neglect R&D, You Need Them!
A research and development team may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of creating a more customer-centric company. But in order to stay on top of the latest customer demands and the needs of the public, market research and product innovation are essential.
Again, this is a long-term investment; you may not always come across helpful products to implement and an R&D team will undoubtedly cost you money. However, having one can help you avoid becoming stagnant and failing to meet the needs of the public. An effective research team will help your business nurture sustainable customer growth and remain relevant in a fast-paced market.
Overall, a customer-centric approach requires full dedication to the consumer, placing their needs and interests above all else. Over time, such an approach can be highly advantageous for your business and will undoubtedly help you foster a loyal, dependable client base and an excellent reputation.
Over at eShipper, we believe that a personable customer service team is key to happy and retainable customers. For more information on customer-centric practices, check out our guide on providing your customers with an exceptional end to end experience. Contact us today for more shipping solutions.
