5 steps to create a feedback process that puts your clients first

Playing favourites is a terrible business strategy.

That’s what business owners say, especially when their products are geared toward a mass market. But if you’re in a service-oriented business, like web design or marketing, taking a customer-centric approach is the key to success.

Don’t get me wrong: being customer-centric is not about giving in to all requests or changing your processes just because one client can’t follow them.

Being customer-centred is really about getting to know the customer so well that you can predict their wants, needs, and communication styles, create experiences that mean something to them and build long-lasting relationships.

Customer-centricity is both a strategy and a way of life. It has to be a part of an organization’s culture to make the customer feel valued. And in turn, you’ll keep more customers, get more referrals, and make more money overall.

Okay, it’s easier said than done, so let’s do it one step at a time.

Assess your current process

Before you can develop a customer-centric approach, you need to assess your current process to see if it is designed for the benefit of the customer.

Look at your customer touch points, from initial contact to post-purchase support, and evaluate each step to determine if it provides a positive experience for your customer. Ask yourself some questions, such as:

• Is it easy for customers to find the information they need?
• Do they receive prompt and efficient customer support?
• Do I actively seek out feedback and respond to it promptly?
• Do I provide multiple channels for customers to contact me?

The answers to these questions will give you a better understanding of how your current process benefits your customers. You can also ask them directly for feedback to gain further insights into their experience with your business.

Develop a customer-centric approach

Once you have assessed your current process, it’s time to develop a customer-centric approach. It’s time to put the customer at the centre of every decision. Here are some tips on how to do this:

1. Create a customer profile – Understand your customer’s demographics, interests, and preferences. This will help you tailor your marketing, product development, and customer support to meet their needs.
2. Listen to feedback – Encourage your customers to provide feedback, and actively listen to it. Use this feedback to improve your products and services and show your customers that you value their opinions.
3. Personalize the customer experience – Use customer data to personalize the customer experience. For example, use their name in communications and recommend products or services based on their previous purchases.
4. Provide multiple channels for communication – Offer multiple channels for customers to contact you, such as phone, email, social media, and chat. This will ensure that customers can reach you through their preferred method.
5. Train employees – Train your employees to provide exceptional customer service. They should be knowledgeable and responsive to customer needs.

How to balance customer needs with company rules

It’s important to note that a customer-centric approach must also benefit the company. While the primary goal is to meet the needs of the customer, the approach must also be sustainable for the business.

Here are some tips on how to balance customer benefits with company benefits:

1. Set clear objectives – Set clear objectives for your customer-centric approach, such as improving customer retention or increasing sales.

   This will help you measure the success of the approach and ensure that it aligns with your overall business goals.

2. Use customer data to drive business decisions – Use customer data to inform business decisions, such as product development, marketing, and pricing. The business will benefit from customer satisfaction.
3. Invest in customer support – Invest in customer support to ensure that customers receive prompt and efficient assistance when they need it.

   This will improve customer satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of negative reviews or customer churn.

4. Align employees with customer-centric values – Ensure that all employees are aligned with the customer-centric approach and understand its importance. This will ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal.

The invisible wall

It’s a no-brainer that customers are the reason why companies and brands thrive. Without their loyalty and their money, a business will close down.

Unfortunately, even with this glaring fact, small and medium business owners ignore it (albeit subconsciously) because customer-centricity is hard to scale. They don’t have time to answer each and every complaint or concern.

Why? Is it because you don’t want to? Of course not. It’s because you’re busy doing the dirty work for your company – like covering for their AWOL designer or doing menial admin tasks that can be outsourced.

Developing a customer-centric approach is essential for any business that wants to succeed. By assessing your current process, and outsourcing what can be outsourced, you can increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.