Consider Your Customer’s Experience

I recently encountered some very bad customer service at a fairly new café. It’s been open for a few months, so thought I would check it out. Not only was my experience awful, but I also created an entire mental list of how they could improve my — their customer’s — experience. I looked for a comment card or a way to e-mail them on the café’s website, and then I discovered even more problems. I wasn’t able to e-mail anyone or post a remark on the website. My only option was to call.

As a business owner, you must constantly check on your customers’ experiences. This can be as simple as providing them with a comment card or posting a contact form on your website. Invite them to share what they like about your business, its products and your service, as well as anything they don’t like, information about a bad experience, etc.

Business gurus always say something to the effect of, “You can do 99 things right, but your customers will only remember the one thing you did wrong.” When something goes wrong, it’s up to you to make it right — whether you offer a discount on the customer’s tab, a free item or a coupon for their next visit. Trying to make a bad situation right with the customer goes a long way.

Unfortunately you don’t see a lot of that today. I think businesses have to stay on top and be aware of the customer’s complete experience, whether it’s in your store, over the telephone or on your website. In addition, businesses must keep on top of social media. Facebook, Twitter and similar sites are a breeding ground for customer comments. It’s important to keep tabs on what people are saying about your business — and if you find negative comments or tales of bad experiences, take those as opportunities to right the wrong with the customer, thereby letting other customers and prospects know that you care about them. If you don’t monitor social media, your business could quickly gain an undesirable reputation.

When developing your marketing plan, it’s important to consider your customers’ experiences with your business. Assess the state of your business; then go even further and have your mystery shoppers visit your business and report on their findings. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to design clear-cut objectives to improve their experiences.