Successful customer communication: Five key factors
Whether at the point of sale, via customer chat or on the telephone hotline: If a company's employees are in constant customer communication, they are a significant touchpoint. This is because buyers come into contact with the actual brand DNA of a company. Customer centricity is the keyword.
If brand managers consistently focus on the needs of their target group and successfully pass on these expectations to their team, they lay the foundation for a successful customer journey. The following five key learnings show the conditions that must be met for employees to excel in customer communication and drive up customer lifetime value over the long haul.
1. create a stable basis
Trust defines a healthy connection between customer and company. No trust, no purchase. Sales professionals build here on the little basics of good relationships: Respect, empathy and proactive communication. In addition, attentive listening strengthens customer loyalty and stabilizes the customer base. If a customer concern lies outside an employee's area of expertise, this disrupts the further development of the relationship. "If such a case occurs, those affected should at best forward the client to expert colleagues and thus actively support him in finding a solution," advises Alexander Friedrich, Head of Business Development at Glückliche Kunden GmbH.
2. authenticity lasts the longest
Entrepreneurs who generate long-term customer satisfaction unerringly meet consumer expectations. The road to success is paved by detailed analyses of customer needs based on precisely tailored questions. Honesty and authenticity characterize customer dialog - empty promises, on the other hand, cause trust to crumble and lead to customer fluctuation. In addition, carelessness quickly has a negative effect on the relationship: In a car repair shop, for example, the one-time unauthorized refilling of the wiper water, which is associated with costs, leads to an immediate loss of trust, restoration questionable. Those who make do instead of spill the beans optimally provide over-delivery and exceed the expectations of their clientele. The result of this better performance is a disproportionate increase in satisfaction levels and sales through recommendations.
3. competence well dosed
In sales talks, employees primarily shine through their specialist knowledge. "A sure instinct is required," says Karolina Friedrich, Managing Director of the consulting firm Glückliche Kunden GmbH: "Anyone who overburdens potential buyers with incomprehensible terms quickly causes annoyance and, in the worst case, assumes ignorance. A competent purchase consultation, characterized by transparency and appreciation, wins perspective the loyalty of the clientele and increases the recommendation ratio."
4. ensure accessibility online and offline
If an unexpected problem arises, customers usually want to see it solved as quickly as possible. The key here is to understand pain points and resolve them quickly. A high level of solution orientation that meets consumer expectations is a key factor in ensuring customer satisfaction. At the point of sale
there must be clarity about who assumes responsibility in the event of a complaint. Online, experienced customer service employees avoid response times of several hours in support chats. The rule of thumb for waiting times in telephone hotlines is six seconds until the call is answered.
5. feedback as a success control
Positive and negative customer feedback helps companies to reflect on their own products and services and to identify blind spots in their service portfolio. If customers express justified criticism in personal conversations, employees must respond to it objectively, professionally - and, last but not least, with gratitude. For service hotlines and chatbots, Karolina and Alexander Friedrich recommend automated, easy-to-understand grading systems that use an AI tool to request evaluations from the clientele and then evaluate them.
The positive effect of customer communication
As part of customer relationship management, successful customer communication strengthens customer relationships and loyalty. It increases the reputation and awareness of a company or brand. Customers grow up to become fans, act as recommenders and ultimately acquire new customers free of charge.
Source: Happy customers Ltd.
