by Jezel Elladora, Director of Client Experience at Cyberbacker
In today’s shifting business landscape, your clients’ happiness is paramount. However, despite the effort and money companies pour into CX tools, customer satisfaction continues to decline.
To provide an experience that impacts clients, you must first establish trust and build relationships. Here are ten actionable strategies guaranteed to help global businesses offer unparalleled customer service and client experience.
Tip #1: Make communication a top priority.
Communication builds trust, and trust is the foundation of a lasting partnership between companies and clients. You must communicate regularly with your partners. What’s more, you must communicate via the channels they prefer.
Today, global businesses can reach out with phone calls, video conferences, text messages, communication apps, and emails. Each of your clients likes some of these channels and dislikes others. To establish a personal connection with clients, know the channels they prefer, and make every effort to connect in those ways. Strong relationships and impactful customer service boil down to knowing your clients’ needs and using that information to assist them with personalized service.
Tip #2: Ask rather than assume.
Overcommunication is a critical part of effective communication. A superior customer experience requires open channels of communication. Frequently touch base with clients to offer updates, explain next steps, and address questions and concerns.
Do not assume clients know what to expect. You know your company’s procedures inside and out, but your clients do not. Every business structure is unique, and your job is to ensure that clients are informed each step of the way.
Overcommunicating keeps your clients informed and prevents misunderstandings. For example, if your company’s response time is two to three business days, let clients know this upfront before they waste time worrying that they have not heard from you.
Tip #3: Make your clients feel heard.
Every client wants to feel special. In my experience, clients are satisfied if they know they are being heard, supported, and receiving the assistance they deserve.
How can global businesses make this happen for each and every client? Be available.
This availability involves letting clients know you see and hear them. You can send tokens of appreciation or customer rewards to clients when they participate in your contest or client programs. The fact that you are thinking about them and thanking them for being present greatly enhances the experience for most clients.
Tip #4: Proactively problem-solve.
Do not simply reach out when there is a problem. Check on your clients regularly to ask if they need help or can offer feedback.
Each client is different. Some are vocal about their needs, and others keep concerns to themselves until they reach a breaking point. Proactive problem-solving is a win-win. Clients get their concerns addressed in a timely manner, and you get feedback to improve your products and services.
Tip #5: Craft personal bonds.
Because your priority is to build connections, personalize your messaging. Rather than falling back on template responses, be authentic when responding or communicating with clients.
Listen to what clients say, check every detail of their messages, then respond accordingly. If you fall back on a script or template reply, you can hardly expect your clients to share their own personal thoughts and concerns. However, if you acknowledge clients’ concerns and respond to their needs, they feel cared for and secure.
Tip #6: Know your clients and their vision.
Invest time and energy into knowing your clients. When global businesses take time to research their clients’ needs, they can adapt or expand services to better assist clients.
There is no greater experience for clients than success. In a nutshell, if you want to grow your business, find out how to help your clients grow their businesses. When your clients succeed, your company will as well.
Tip #7: Educate continuously.
One of the most critical aspects of the client experience is ongoing education. This education can take the form of video clips, newsletters, emails, blogs, podcasts, or social media posts.
Remember, the partnership between you and your client does not stop when they subscribe to your service. A constant stream of information is critical to the partnership’s success. You are obligated to make them aware of evolving possibilities and new ways to use your product. Client education is a continuous process that never ends.
Tip #8: Listen with purpose.
Listen to your clients’ needs, and get over your fear of feedback. Whether positive or negative, you will always find that any feedback is better than none at all.
Feedback in any form means your clients care enough to connect and share thoughts. Listen carefully to what they say, pinpoint your clients’ pain points, and take steps to improve your customer experience.
Tip #9: Simplify your tools and systems.
Do everything you can to make your tools and systems user-friendly. When tools are difficult to understand or navigate, the client experience suffers.
Ask your clients for feedback regarding the usability of your website, tools, and systems. Often, only an outside perspective will give you an accurate picture.
Think of your business as your home, and your clients like visiting guests. A user-friendly website and tools are your curb appeal. If you make these easy to navigate, clients find the information they need. If you don’t, clients become frustrated or leave altogether.
Tip #10: Embrace teamwork and cultivate synergy.
To offer excellent customer service, give clients the solutions they need to succeed. In other words, collaborate closely, understand their needs, and provide a service that directly targets their pain points.
Your service should offer solutions that make clients excited to partner with you. A winning service is easy to get, but hard to let go of.
Your clients expect first-rate products and services, but that’s not all. On top of that, they want an impactful client experience. Make this happen through strong relationships built on effective communication, ongoing education, personalized service, and proactive problem-solving.
Jezel Elladora is the Director of Client Experience at Cyberbacker, the leading provider of virtual assistant services worldwide. In her role, Elladora consistently exceeds expectations by proactively identifying opportunities for enhancing customer satisfaction. Her experience working closely with these clients has further enhanced her customer relationship management skills and and knowledge.
