2 Important Things Customers Want Most From Companies

Major companies are starting to realize that business is about more than getting sales; it’s about giving a quality customer experience to foster customer loyalty. But according to a recent article by Brennan Wilkie, companies often don’t understand what their customers actually care about or what their customer service expectations are. Consumers are changing rapidly in terms of their expectations for what a quality customer experience entails, and data trends are not enough to comprehend the emotions of customers. The article says that if brands what to know what customers think of them and what they want from them, the best thing to do is ask them. Wilkie says that when asked for their input, customers provided the following two things people want most from companies and their customer experiences.

1) An Experience That Keeps Brand Promises: Pretty straight forward, but companies often forget such a simple concept. Do what you say you’ll do. For example, if a company is advertising a product for 50% off of its regular price, then customers should be able to go into any of their stores and buy that product at the advertised price. If you deliver on the simple things you promise, your customers will be more likely to remain loyal to your brand. However, if you continue to undervalue people’s expectation of you living up to your word, then you can expect to lose customers.

2) An Experience That Is Personal and Reciprocal: Personalization across the entire customer journey can make a big difference in customer loyalty. Wilkie says that this means more than just email blasts with the person’s name in the subject line. It means tailored messages specific to their needs based on past purchases and interactions with your company. In a brick-and-mortar store or during a call to the contact center, it means interacting with employees who talk to you conversationally while showing empathy. People don’t want to feel like their only value is their purchase; they want to feel like the company they show loyalty to appreciates them. Don’t send them blanket advertisements and product offers, send them offers they’ll appreciate and actually need to use based off their history with your company.

There are so many companies out there, and with technology making it even easier to access a variety of deals online from nearly any company in the world, it’s important to remember that customers don’t need you as much as you need them. There’s no secret formula for gaining customer loyalty. The most important thing for companies to remember is to do the little things right. Companies that stay true to their word and honor their promises will gain the respect of their customers. In addition, the companies that make people feel like they’re more than a potential sale and they truly matter as an individual will be able to establish genuine emotional relationships with their customers.

This blog post about customer expectation management is based on an article from CustomerThink. To read the original article, please click the link below:

Emotion and Customer Experience: Connecting Feeling With Your Bottom Line – Brennan Wilkie