Customer Experience Tip #1539

“I’m not saying functionality and value aren’t important, but you should aim for the hearts of your customers, not just their heads. You do that through empathy, by putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. You take over. You say, ‘Let me take care of everything.’”

–Stefan Thomke, Harvard Business School Professor

Customer Experience Tip #1538

Give your customers options, yes, but not so many that it confuses them or stifles a decision.

Customer Experience Tip #1537

Customers and prospects value advice and learning above all else. How will you use advice/learning to guide someone today?

Customer Experience Tip #1536

Your team dropped the ball and it’s too late to fix it. There’s no making up for it in that client’s experience … at least not with you … at least not until next time … assuming there is a next time. So why not send them somewhere they can have a great experience?! Listen, apologize, solve, thank … then maybe gift them with a nice meal, spa treatment, etc. They’ll remember you and appreciate you for doing this. They might even return one day and give you that second chance you’re hoping for.

Customer Experience Tip #1535

Are you telling prospective customers and clients that you provide great service? So are your competitors. Can you prove your claims with a robust online reputation of positive ratings and reviews? Your online reputation: It has become more important than ever.

Customer Experience Tip #1534

When a customer’s experience goes sideways, it’s not enough to make things right … things should have been right in the first place. They weren’t. And now that customer has invested additional time and emotional energy and they are likely feeling soured by the situation. Do something extra for them. WOW them.

Customer Experience Tip #1533

When there’s heavy turbulence or strange noises on a flight, we look to the faces of our flight attendants for reassurance.

Attention frontline employees: your customers will give their full attention to a disruption if/when they see you doing so. When a turbulent situation arises (e.g., an irate customer, etc.) and customers are there to witness it, your job is to keep your cool and remain professional; reassure them with your body language that everything is under control.

Customer Experience Tip #1532

Might your website contain typos, grammatical errors, and/or outdated info? All of these things can serve as first-impression killers and undermine your credibility for prospective customers and clients. It may be time to scour and clean up your site.

Customer Experience Tip #1531

Do you consider a ringing telephone an annoyance? So do your competitors. But if you’re the one who welcomes phone calls with a genuine smile and gratitude, your callers will sense it and you’ll have an immediate advantage over your competition.

Customer Experience Tip #1530

“We all experience problems with suppliers. Things go wrong – that’s just life. As a business, you have to learn to accept that. Of course, it’s how you deal with those problems which sets one business apart from another.” –CustomerThermometer.com