In previous discussions we have touched on topics relating
to making the customer buying experience a pleasant one. We have discussed various ways to make your
customers so uncomfortable that they might very well walk away from your
presence entirely, costing you a sale and the profit from it. You should always make the purchase process so
pleasant that your customers will enjoy it, making the experience one that they
relish in life.
Remember the things that make the buying experience one that
your customers will not want to repeat. What
if you, your retail outlet, your website, or wherever the customer needs to
visit is difficult to locate, or you or your employees are rude, disinterested
in customers’ needs, or busy with each other?
What if your retail outlet is located in a dangerous part of town or
appears shabby or in disrepair, or the hours are erratic? Inadequate lighting, poor parking, a facility
that needs refurbishing, or a hangout for unsavory persons will send customers
to somewhere else.
Is the buying process easy if it is online, can the customer
get a printed receipt, does the customer know when they will receive their
purchase, or is there a way for them to deal with a shipping or product
problem? If not, they may give up on the
purchase, and they may never recommend you to anyone else. Bottom line, is the buying experience
pleasant for the customer?
I told someone once that, as a customer, I am high
maintenance. I expect to be treated like
the valued customer that I am. I also
expect to be treated like the referral source that I can be. Every customer that you have, from the one
who places the largest order that you have ever written, to the person who buys
one of the least expensive products that you have, deserves your best
service. They deserve to be treated as a
valued person, as a human being, and as your best customer. Sell a person one nail with a great buying
experience and they will recommend you to someone who might have you build them
a house.
Recently I experienced some really bad customer service from
a major supplier, a worldwide vendor. I
asked them how they felt about their customer service and how they liked being known
for having the worst customer service in their industry. Their response was to ask me if there was
anything else that I wanted to buy at that time. Their website is filled with errors, their
telephone representatives are untrained, and their technical support has no
clue about any question I asked.
Over all, do your customers enjoy their buying
experience? Can you say that they have
fun when they buy from you? Do you make
them smile and laugh? Do their family
members smile, laugh, and enjoy the experience?
If not, make them do so. Make them
enjoy purchasing from your business; make your employees a part of the
business, believing that they have a vested interest in the success of your
business. Your customers should be
treated the same by everyone they meet, as valued customers.
So what’s it like buying from your business? Do your customers laugh, smile, and recommend
you to their friends and acquaintances?
Do they run for the exit, slamming the door behind them, vowing to never
return? Would you buy from your business? Your comments are welcome here, or you can email
me at Jim@SOC4Now.com, or call me at 360-314-8691. Do your customers
have fun when buying from you or would they rather pay more just to get their
product or service from someone who will value their business?
No comments:
Post a Comment