How to improve customer experience

What is customer experience?

Customer experience is directly related to how you interact with your customers. It encompasses every part of your business and can make the difference between success and failure.

Some important parts of customer experience include:

• Your website
• Your marketing materials
• Sales and communications
• Ordering, quotations, and payments
• Scheduling and planning
• Keeping the customer informed

Perhaps the most important part of creating great customer experience is by providing a consistently high level of service across all these areas.

Why is customer experience important?

Your customers are the most important part of any trade business. Without them, your business would not exist.

Therefore, creating positive customer experience is essential for achieving business success.

When you provide good customer service, your customers are more likely to:

• Use your services again
• Leave positive reviews
• Recommend you to their friends and family
• Be willing to pay more for your services

On the other hand, if your customers have a negative customer experience, his can have a detrimental effect on your business.

Unhappy customers will not use your services again. They may leave you negative reviews or even discourage other people from using your services.

Remember, your reputation is super important. Once it has been tarnished, it can be very difficult to win back trust.

Benefits of good customer experience

As mentioned above, creating good customer experience can have a hugely positive effect on your business.

Some benefits of creating positive customer experience include:

Happy customers

Satisfied customers can become your brand ambassadors. When a client has a positive experience working with you, they are far more likely to recommend you to a friend.

Positive reviews, word-of-mouth referrals, and repeat business all help to grow your business.

Customer retention

Repeat customers are the bread and butter of any business. Focussing on client retention is a far more cost-effective business growth method than generating new leads.

Transforming a one-off customer into a loyal client will help to build your brand’s reputation and win new customers with less focus on direct marketing.

Increased sales

Let’s face it, we all want to increase sales. By improving customer experience, you can do exactly that.

Satisfied customers create new referrals thus increasing sales. A smooth and efficient interaction with your customers will also help to close sales and grow your client base.

How to create excellent customer experience

When you want to improve your customer’s experience, here are some handy tips to get you started.

Create a personalised service

Building relationships with your customers makes them feel more valued. They are far more likely to return if you get to know their needs, expectations, and preferences.

Offering repeat customers special extras such as discounts or flexible payments will also help to improve customer experience.

Streamline your processes

When you first discuss a project with a customer, be as open as possible to ensure that their expectations are met.

Be sure to talk about your processes including scheduling, timelines, pricing, and policies.

Smooth and efficient communication at every stage of the process is also essential to improve customer experience.

Enhance aftercare

Once a project is completed, it’s easy to move onto the next and forget about the one you’ve just done. This is a mistake, however, as your previous customers can become valued repeat customers with some dedicated aftercare.

Some things to consider include:

• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Annual or bi-annual contact (e-mail, phone calls etc.)
• Problem resolution
• Use customer feedback to improve your services

By going the extra mile with your existing customers, they are far more likely to become loyal repeat customers.

Building a team focused on customer experience

When you want to provide your customers with the most positive experience possible, you’ll need your whole team on board.

From fitters to administrative staff, everyone should be on the same page and ready to promote your brand with consistency and positivity.

To ensure that all your employees are singing from the same hymn sheet, you may want to provide training in the following areas:

• Company values and brand identity
• Soft skills and customer interaction
• Trade skills and product/service knowledge
• System and processes competency
• Managing complaints and negative feedback

If you address all these areas with your team, you are far more likely to create better customer experience and grow your business.

Enhance customer experience with Checkatrade

Another great way to improve customer experience is by becoming a Checkatrade approved business.

Did you know that all Checkatrade members gain access to a wide range of benefits to help their business to thrive.

As a Checkatrade member you gain exclusive access to the following benefits:

• Free marketing materials
• Discounts on tools and equipment
• Professional support
• A trusted reputation

As part of your Checkatrade profile, you can also add your location and the areas you would like to target.

This is a great way to attract customers in your area, focussing on the sales you want and attracting the right customers for you.

With millions of trade job searches every month, being part of the Checkatrade database is a great way to get noticed. Promote your brand and grow your trade business.

Join Checkatrade today to begin the vetting process and learn more about how we can help you to improve your customer experience.

Content disclaimer: This content has been created for general information purposes and should not be taken as formal advice. Read our full disclaimer here.