You must know that a competitive environment makes customers very demanding, and they have very high expectations about your products or services. This implies that your customers will leave you for your competitors if you don’t adhere to high standards. It might sound straightforward, although it is true. In addition to getting a product or service of high quality, consumers also value the high level of customer service, meaning that they can receive the necessary assistance and help when they need it. Customer experience goes beyond just a sale. Companies should invest themselves in improving their work processes. Ben Givon has prepared a list of ways to help you bring interactions between your company and your customers to another level. 

However, first, let’s define what customer interactions are. Customer interactions are instances when your customers communicate with your business. These interactions occur throughout the customer journey and can be related to sales promotions, marketing campaigns, and service-related issues. There is an infinite number of reasons why customers communicate with businesses. However, we can outline three main occasions on which customers reach out: customer service, sales, and marketing. Of course, for each of these occasions, customers have different goals, needs, and expectations from your brand. From your side, you should use these interactions to your advantage, as these are opportunities to acquire, convert and please your customers. 

Now let’s discuss how you can make every interaction with your customers the best it can be. 

1. Be empathic and express gratitude

We all know the popular saying: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” This also applies to customer service; put yourself in your customers’ shoes. It might appear simple, but you should make sure you demonstrate empathy for your customers’ struggles. Express gratitude for their loyalty, as they are the most important asset your company has. Here are some ways to make your customers feel your involvement and gratitude. 

• Say “thank you” at every given opportunity. Show your gratitude if there is an outage or disruption in service. Thank them if your company representatives make mistakes. Thank returning customers for their loyalty to your company. Express gratitude if your customers leave reviews, regardless of whether they are good or bad. 
• Be emphatic to your customers if they experience issues related to your products or services. Don’t hesitate to say “I am sorry,” even if the problems they share are not your fault. The issues they come across can be very different, for instance, money or time loss. You might not know the whole story, so being apologetic is often a correct response. 

Customers tend to be more loyal if they have a positive experience with a company. Make your customers feel good, and you will see how drastically it will influence customer retention. 

2. Be conscientious

Maybe you learned this lesson when you were a student or at your first job. And as you have probably guessed, this rule is also important when it comes to customer service. Be responsible when you need to follow up on some issue and introduce a solution as soon as possible. No matter how you reach out to your customers via phone, email, or chat, they might think that contacting customer service is useless, and this is where you need to prove them wrong. 

3. Be communicative and transparent

Sometimes, it is important to admit your fault if the matter concerns a problem caused by your company. Don’t neglect to explain the situation and apologize for the inconvenience caused. Try to eliminate the recurrence of the problem, and if it might happen again, make sure to warn the customer. Be prepared to be transparent even if the situation is in dire straits. If you feel like it might be problematic to be completely honest with a customer, ask your manager or director for guidance. 

4. Make your customers happy

Often it is a good idea to surprise your customers if you want them to be happy. Ben Givon recommends surprising your customers periodically. Of course, it can be a gift or discount, but also a simple “thank you” letter is already enough. You can also organize a shoutout on social media, be confident it will resonate with your audience.