This past year has highlighted the pitfalls and successes of brands across multiple industries. Those who found themselves struggling during the pandemic likely kept things going business as usual, when it was really anything but. However, those who flourished took this as an opportunity to reinvent their businesses, putting more emphasis on their customers than ever before.
There is a lot to be learned from these companies, as marketing and customer service helped connect customers quarantining at home with brands across the world. Customers could no longer walk into a store to get the help they needed, instead they were left with online chat rooms and customer service lines to communicate with businesses. And those with fast website speeds and great customer service teams saw the benefits quickly. While those who were lacking in this area may be struggling to grow into 2021.
Luckily, not all hope is lost if you’ve let customer experience (CX) take a back seat this past year. There are still plenty of updates you can make to your website and your overall business that have been proven to drive sales and loyalty. But first, let’s dive into some customer statistics from Chattermill to learn more about the importance of this aspect of your business.
Why is Customer Satisfaction So Important?
“The customer is always right!” is a popular saying for a reason, customers drive sales which keep your business afloat. But it’s more than just agreeing with them when they are upset and doing your best to fix the problem. To really satisfy your customers and increase their loyalty, you need to make sure they are always having a positive experience when interacting with your brand. Need more proof? Check out these statistics on customer satisfaction.
- Customer experience needs improvement across the board, with 54% of U.S. consumers saying most companies need to step up their game.
- 88% of consumers prefer to call when dealing with a brand’s customer service team.
- 78% of consumers will show loyalty to brands that take the time to understand them and help them reach their goals.
- One out of three people would pay extra if it meant they would get a higher level of customer service.
- 13% of consumers said that they trust businesses to guide their customers through the pandemic.
It’s clear the customers are getting smarter, and are willing to drop a brand that doesn’t treat them with respect (even if they used to love you before). So given that just one bad experience can lead you to losing a customer for life, you should take extra care to ensure their needs are met.
Improving Your Brand’s CX
Improving the experience of your customers isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Once you’ve done the proper research so that you understand who your target audience is and what their needs are, there are a few more things you can do to ensure a positive experience from start to finish. Try out these tips below and see how it improves your customer retention rate.
1. Account for Mobile Users
With the pandemic keeping everyone at home, online sales have spiked in recent years. And while many are still shopping on their laptops or tablets, a growing number are shopping exclusively on their mobile devices. This means if your website has a slow load rate or isn’t mobile friendly, you might be frustrating your customers and losing sales.
Check your website out on your smartphone. Can you easily access each section of your site? How about your customer service portal? Are there any aspects of your website that are hard to read or click on your phone? Answering these questions is a vital part of checking your website’s health, and can lead to a more positive experience with all your potential customers.
2. Be Consistent
Another aspect that’s important for your brand is to be consistent in your messaging. This means using the same tone and verbiage across all platforms, including your blog, sales pages and social media accounts. This will lead to less confusion for your customer base and will ensure you are attracting the right audience. Not sure what your brand’s voice is yet? Consider conducting some surveys or a focus group to help narrow down your goals.
3. Don’t Wait For A Problem
It’s always better to be proactive than reactive in all situations, and that includes your business. Rather than waiting for an issue to occur and then rushing to solve it before it affects too many of your customers, take a more proactive approach. This means consistently testing your website or products, checking for bugs and learning more about your customers to predict the issues they might have the most problems with.
And being proactive does more than just save you customers. It also saves you time and money as well. If you’re looking to be more proactive in your business, try setting up a calendar to test each section of your site and make improvements. That way, you’re always ahead of the curve.
2021 CX Takeaways
Overally, there’s a lot you can learn from prioritizing your customers. By making a few simple customer experience changes, you can improve your customers' spending averages, create a seamless experience and tailor your content to their needs. Check out the rest of the information on customer engagement and how to incorporate these lessons for your business in Chattermill’s infographic below.
