Ground Report

What makes you stand out in the business world?

If you need a few minutes to answer that question, perhaps it is time to review your business practices, looking to see where there may be a shortcoming or two in your network.

As more businesses are discovering these days, many customers are on the move, meaning companies have to keep pace with them if they want to attain and retain their business.

So, where does that leave you and your brand in the mix?

Your Customer Satisfaction Checklist

Start by looking at where you may or may not be coming up short with your customers.

You do this by reviewing the following:

1. Customer service – First and foremost, are you meeting the needs of your clients when it comes to customer service? This sounds like an easy question to answer, but you might be taken aback when learning how many companies truly have a hard time answering that question. From the simple little things like you (if you are one-person show) or your employees being courteous to customers when they call or email to following up with them after a sale. They oftentimes say that it is the little things in life which make a difference; the same holds true in the business world.
2. Rewards for longevity – There are some customers that have likely been with you for a long time. With that being the case, what are you doing to reward them for such longevity? Giving them specials and deals on products and services is a great way to endear them to you for a long time to come. Show them that they mean the world to you, not that you look at them as just another sale. When these customers see how you go out of your way to acknowledge them, they are more inclined to tell their family and friends about your brand. Just as employee loyalty has its rewards, so too does customer loyalty.
3. Mobility is on the rise – In today’s tech-driven world, don’t be surprised to see more customers using their smartphones and other tech gadgets (especially tablets) to browse and ultimately buy goods and services from shops. As a result, you need to make sure your brand is on top of these times, not missing out on potential sales. If you see a customer in your store on their smartphone, there is a good chance they may be browsing out your very own products and services. This is the perfect time to hit them up with a 10 or 20 percent off sales item. Even if they are not looking at your goods or services specifically, reaching out to them with sales initiatives certainly can’t hurt. One thing to keep in mind with the mobile pursuit of customers, make sure you have their permission to reach out. Filling someone’s mobile device up with spam-related material only leads them to become less than enthralled with your business;
4. Social activity truly does matter – How active is your brand on social media? If the answer is not very, you truly do need to alter that this year and moving forward. The relationships you can start and grow on social media can end up being very rewarding, especially financially. Have a presence on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, even YouTube (great venue to show videos about your brand, your team etc.). When customers (and potential ones) reach out to you on social channels, it is imperative that you respond, be it to answer their questions or just provide them with some information about your brand or your industry in general. Even though there are still some companies which turn a blind eye to social media this day, the majority of brands know how important being tuned-in to social networking is to be successful.

With all the time and effort it takes to successfully run a business in this day and age, giving your customers more mobility is critical to that process.

Make sure all channels of communication between you and the buying public are open, allowing you enough mobility to meet all of their needs today and down the road.