Customer Care – 6 Small Gestures That Show Customers How Much You Care
With the economy going through a really tough time, it’s important that you do everything you can to retain your customers, showing them that they are truly valued by your company. Money is tight, businesses are struggling, and the new ethos of frugality is going to work against you. However, you don’t need to spend a great deal of money to show your clients how much you care. In fact, it can be the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference.
To help you keep your customers on-side, here are six small gestures that show you care:
1. A Little ‘Hi!’
Sending a newsletter, or some cool promotional products just to say “hi” to your regular customers lets them know that you’re still around and that you care enough to check-in. Everybody loves a freebie, so try and send something valuable to your customers. That could be a digital self-care document, a link to an article you know they’ll find useful, or maybe some free anti-bacterial gel or a voucher for your products or services. It’s a small gesture, but it shows you are reaching out and you care.
2. Engage On Social Media
Customers actively want engagement from companies they support, so the simple act of replying and reaching out to followers can be an effective engagement strategy. For example, 83% of people who sent a tweet to a company felt better about the business if they got a reply tweet. They also reported being more likely to actively use that business in the future. Taking the time to reply shows customers you care and that there are real people behind the brand.
3. A Follow-Up Call/ Email/ Letter
Following up with a call, email, or letter shows that you really do care about the quality of business you put out. Send a follow up to your customers after a business exchange, and if possible, get some feedback from them. Ask them to rate your business or fill out a quick survey so that they not only feel heard but also valued.
4. Say Their Name
All effective communicators understand that using a person’s first name is a great way to let them know that you value them as an individual. Saying your customer’s name, and then remembering it when you speak to them again, tells them that they are important enough to be remembered by you. This small gesture costs you nothing but is incredibly effective in letting your customers know that they matter to your business.
5. Understand Your Customers’ Worries
Your customers are not faceless numbers, they are real people with real hopes, fears, dreams, and issues. Over 60% of people in America currently worry about their country’s stability, and nearly 70% also worry about their family’s health. If you can, make sure the information you put out correlates with the kinds of worries your customers have, they will feel truly understood.
6. Make It Right
Many businesses are currently struggling to maintain excellent customer service. A lack of employees, issues with changing health and safety regulations, and a surge in inquiries are just some of the extra burdens businesses are operating under.
Whether you issue apologies, offer discounts, or simply ensure you reply personally to every complaint, acknowledging dissatisfaction is important. Whether the mistake was small or large, the gesture of apologizing is low cost but high in value.
“Sometimes it’s the little things that count the most.” – Alexandra Adornetto
Small gestures can mean so much to your customers, particularly during a time of such vast worldwide change. The more you show that you care, the more you will boost customer happiness and loyalty.
