If businesses don’t have customers who make purchases, refer friends, and keep coming back, it’s hard to make the business grow. Making customers feel important is key to this process.
Businesses typically succeed when they offer the types of products and services that people want. But beware: This doesn’t mean you can take customers for granted just because you have something they crave.
Providing excellent customer service is not only important for post-sale activities, but it can also help to increase revenue. Making customers feel valued and appreciated will help to create a customer service team that is focused on growth.
You must improve your customer service to meet customer expectations in order to maintain customer loyalty.
The Importance of Making Customers Feel Valued
Your business is its own community, and it takes effort to maintain good relationships with everyone in it As a business owner, it is important to maintain good relationships with everyone in your business community, including vendors, employees, partners, and associates.
They want to feel like they’re being heard and that you consider their input to be valuable. When thinking about your potential customers, remember that they are people first. Everyone wants to feel like they have value and that their opinion matters. People are more likely to be drawn to those who make them feel valued. This is an important concept to keep in mind when thinking about how to provide value to your customers. They want to feel like their voices are being heard and that you value their input.
The way you make your customers feel is extremely important to your business. It all starts with customer engagement, but that’s just the beginning. You have many more chances to show your customers that you appreciate them, from the initial sale to after-care support, customer service, and new sales.
Good customer service is essential for increasing revenue, but poor customer service can also have a significant impact. According to Forbes, companies lost up to $75 billion in 2018 because of poor customer service, which is an increase of $13 billion from 2016.
This text is saying that the percentage of Americans who think businesses are doing a good job with customer service has increased from 67% in 2014 to 81% in 2017.
Excellent customer service involves providing great service and support to both current and future customers.
Customer service covers an array of services including:
- Returns
- Exchanges
- Delivery & status
- Billing
- Cancellations
- Product information and advice
- Account updates
A study conducted by Aircall showed that customers generally prefer to contact a company by phone, with 69% of respondents stating that this is their preferred method. However, 91% of those surveyed also said they feel positively about companies that offer multiple customer service options. Therefore, while phone support is still important, it is also beneficial to have other support channels available.
Customers today expect more than just a basic product or service, they want a whole experience. This is similar to the kind of personalized service you would get at a high-end spa or a 3-star Michelin restaurant.
How to Make a Client Feel Valued
If you want your customers to trust and respect you, you need to show them the same honesty and respect that you expect from them.Mutual respect and trust are essential for any strong relationship, including the one you have with your customers. Appreciate them and make them feel valued, and they’ll do the same for you.
What would make you feel valued if you were the customer?
When you’re looking for a company to do business with, you want to be sure that the employees are competent and will work hard on your behalf. You also want products and services that are convenient for you. If you’re like most customers, you want all of those things, and you also want to be treated like you’re more than just a number.
Crm The customer relationship doesn’t end when a sale is made. It’s just the beginning of a long-term relationship.
It can be difficult to quantify things like character traits, however the way you treat your customers can go a long way in making them feel valued.
Set up a call center
If you have a lot of employees and they are all doing different jobs, it is hard for them to focus on customer service. A call center that is functioning well is easy to set up and it allows you to have a group of people who are only focused on customer service.
Thank them
Thanking your customers is essential to keeping them coming back. You can show your appreciation with freebies, discounts, and special offers. You should also thank them directly in a thank-you email.
Consistency
Building rapport with new customers can be difficult because of the fear of the unknown. Establishing a great customer experience from the start, and following up with excellent customer service will show the customer that they are valued. This will result in customer lifetime value.
Listen to them
When you are speaking with customers, do not assume that you know what they are going to say. Even if you have spoken to many people with similar problems, remember that each customer is different and will have their own specific concerns. Pay attention to what the customer is saying and respond in a way that is appropriate for their situation.
Competency
While it’s not possible for every single person in a company to be an expert on everything, having specialized teams and call routing can be very helpful. Automating calls so that they go to the right person right away can help show that you are competent and reliable.
Personalize communications
Make sure your customers feel like they are your top priority by giving them personalized service. This will make them feel like they are special and not just another person in a crowd, which has a lot of value.
Proactiveness
Customers get frustrated when they don’t hear anything back from a company they’ve reached out to. It makes them feel like their inquiry has gone into a black hole. If companies keep customers updated on the status of their inquiry, the customers are less likely to get upset over problems or delays.
Appeal to the need for convenience
Your customers are busy and might not have time to call or email, so reach out to them via their preferred communication channels.
Approaches to customer service that lead to a positive customer experience will result in strong brand loyalty.
Here are 9 ways you can make your freelance clients feel valued: 1. Start off on the right foot by being punctual and professional from the very first contact. 2. Get to know them and their business inside out, so you can offer tailored services and advice. 3. Go the extra mile to deliver excellent results, even if it takes a little bit longer. 4. Keep communication channels open at all times, so they always feel updated and in the loop. 5. Show genuine interest in their business and objectives, and be enthusiastic about helping them succeed. 6. Handle feedback constructively and be open to making changes to better suit their needs. 7. Offer value-added services or extras that they might not have expected or budgeted for. 8. Be flexible and accommodating whenever possible, to make their life easier. 9. Keep your promises, and follow up after completed projects to make sure they’re happy.
1. Remember, Clients Are People Too!
It’s important to remember that the people you’re working with are just that: people. They appreciate being treated like human beings, not just cogs in a machine. A little bit of humanity can go a long way.
To make your clients feel valued and increase your sales, find out when their birthdays or anniversaries are and offer them a special discount. Hand-written cards mailed on nice stationary are more special than an email and show that you care about your clients.
Jackie Lam stated that she sends handmade cards and notes to her clients to make them feel appreciated.
It’s important not to forget that your clients are people too, even though it’s more fun to be there for them during the good times. Sarah Bettencourt said she tries to remember this.
“I’ve sent some of them flowers when they’ve experienced a loss or illness,” she said. “Sometimes I call them up and have a heart-to-heart with them either about a difficult situation or to praise them for their accomplishments.”
2. Give Personal Attention
If you want to make your clients feel like VIPs, roll out the red carpet for them and give them a tour. However, don’t suffocate them with too much attention. If they do business with you online, don’t bombard them with emails and calls. You may turn them off if they feel you are pressuring them, which could cause you to lose their business.
If you want to maintain good relationships with your customers, it’s important to be available to them without being too pushy. Make yourself visible and let them know you’re there to help them, for example by greeting them by name and making them feel like they’re your top priority. This will make them feel valued and they’re more likely to do repeat business with you.
3. Thank Them
Be sure to thank your clients for their business, but don’t overdo it. Your clients can tell if you’re being genuine, and if you’re not, you may lose their business. authenticity is key to winning loyalty from your clients.
One way to show your appreciation to your clients and customers is by offering them a small gift or card during the holidays.
Manuscript editor, Megan Harris, said that she sent out custom Christmas gifts to many of her clients to show her appreciation.
The text says that the newer clients got Starbucks gift cards and that the clients she has had for years got things like fingerless gloves, dice for tabletop gaming, rear view mirror decals, comic books, etc. She says that she might not send as many custom gifts next year but that they were surprises and everyone loved it.
You could hold a client and customer appreciation day to express your gratitude for their business. Remember that they are the reason you are in business, so make them feel appreciated.
4. Create a VIP List
If some of your clients do a lot of business with you and are very loyal, create a VIP list just for those individuals. You could host a special sale just for them, or open your business during off hours for a special VIP event. Obviously, you still want to treat all of your clients and customers well. Having a VIP list simply acknowledges the fact that some clients do more business with you and thanks them for their patronage.
5. Listen to Feedback
You can increase your sales and show your clients that you value them by taking the time to find out what they like and dislike. This way, you can make changes to appeal to their individual tastes. You can also use this information to let them know about new products or services that you think they would be interested in. Always look for ways to improve your offerings so that you can provide the best possible service to your clients.
6. Become Their Customer
If you want your clients to feel valued, try becoming their customer. If they have businesses or products, keep them in mind when you need services or products. If they find out you went out of town or did business with someone else, they could ditch you.
7. Stay Presentable
You need to make your store or business extra special for your customers so that they feel like they are special. This means keeping the storefront clean and well-lit, playing the right music, and even controlling the temperature. During holidays or for birthdays, use special wrapping paper to wrap gifts for them.
Running your business online? Keep your websites up to date for easy customer transactions.
8. Communicate with your Clients
Make sure your clients and customers are up-to-date with what’s new in your business. Whether you’re offering new products and services or having a special sale or promotion, let them know with an invitation or newsletter. This will create a sense of urgency and let them know that your products are in high demand.
9. Treat Employees or Contractors Well
The way a business treats it’s employees and customers is a good indicator of how successful it will be. If you own a business, it’s important to treat your employees well so they will in turn treat your customers well.
Your collaborative goal should be to make your company the best place to work for all your employees. When your employees feel valued, they are more likely to be loyal to your company and tell others how great it is to work for you. You can show your employees you appreciate them in many ways, such as thanking them for their work, acknowledging them in front of others, and rewarding them for creative ideas or a job well done. You can also feature an employee or product of the month in a newsletter, or help employees who are struggling in certain areas. Your goal should be to make your company the best place to work for all your employees.
There is a common thread running through all of the ways to make your clients feel valued: treat people well. You may have to go above and beyond for some clients, but putting in the extra effort to make them feel appreciated can be very beneficial for your business. Not only will your customers feel valued, but your business will be seen in a positive light as well.
