Customer Service

Most of the brands we interact with have either a tiered loyalty program, a tiered pricing structure, or both. Companies that are truly customer-centric understand that they have to provide premium-level service at every price point. A recent family vacation reminded me of the importance of creating magic for all customers, no matter how much they’re spending or not spending with you. If you’ve visited a theme park recently, you know that there are tons of upgrades and add-ons. My husband, boys, and I visited several theme parks in Orlando earlier this month: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Sea World, Legoland, and the Peppa Pig Theme Park.  Everything from skip-the-line fast passes to all-day dining meals are available for purchase. You want VIP parking? No problem! Professional photos all day? You got it! Exclusive meet and greets? Done!  There were a few fun extras we opted for: At Magic Kingdom, we paid for a VIP fireworks experience with a private viewing area. At Sea World, we did a one-on-one experience with dolphins (through which my almost three-year-old cried nonstop because he wanted to go look for rolly pollies in the dirt outside of the dolphins area). We also did several character dining experiences, taking a break from the sun to dine indoors with Disney and Sesame Street characters. When I was a kid, you just went to the theme park — and maybe, if you had saved up enough money, you would get a Fast Past. These days, the upgrade and add-on opportunities are endless and cater to guests of all ages and circumstances. So, how do you make sure everyone has a great time, regardless of how much they’re spending? And how is this relevant to your business? (It is, I promise — keep reading!) At each of the parks, we opted for at least one upgrade — usually a middle-of-the-road one. A couple of times we went full-on VIP, but for the most part we were full-on normies. This gave me a great opportunity to observe how staff at every park ensured there was magic for guests at every dollar amount. While you can up-charge for experiences, you should never upcharge for premium service. That must be included in the cost of entry.  Designing a tiered loyalty program or pricing structure with multiple offerings is a balancing act, with a lot of similarities to theme park pricing. On the one hand, you don’t want to give away too much at the lowest level in order to entice customers to move up the ranks (like ordering season passes or upgrading from a free membership to a premium one). However, you’ve got to create an experience that’s good enough to keep your customers interested and coming back for more. Once your customers do move up the ranks of your loyalty system, you’ve got to deliver an even more exceptional experience. They’re spending more time and money with your brand, so how can you make it worth it? Look for ways to go from good to great, and then from great to exceptional. Whether you’re running a theme park, an online business, or anything in between, here are my tips for creating a customer-centric loyalty program. Define your program’s objectives This seems like an obvious one, but too many brands execute on misaligned strategies that don’t ultimately ladder up to their goals. When this happens, your customers can feel confused, or worse, disrespected. For example, upon buying a new car, a dealership would never offer you a coupon for your next vehicle to incentivize repeat purchases. Instead, they may offer competitive pricing and perks on things like oil changes or all-weather mats if you return for all of your service needs, which will in turn boost loyalty.  Define your objective for your loyalty program in order to map out the tiers and requirements accordingly. Here are a few different types of program objectives your brand may consider, including: At Disney, there are several tiers of passes you can purchase. For example, a standard ticket gets you access to one theme park per day, while a park hopper ticket allows you to visit more than one theme park per day. If you stay at a Disney resort, there are additional perks. In addition, there are endless add-ons for water parks, “after hours,” and VIP viewing of parades and shows within the park, just to name a few. For many families, a vacation to Disney is considered a once-in-a-lifetime trip, so the goal of the ticketing structure is to upsell and boost customer spending while they’re at the parks. Employing common retention tactics for non-Florida residents — like offering coupons for a future purchase or redeemable points — wouldn’t make sense for most attendees, as they may not have another trip planned anytime soon. However, bonuses like free upgrades or additional access for the current vacation make a lot of sense. Don’t make customer service a “perk” One of my biggest pet peeves is when a company offers support service to the premium-level customers only. Not only is it straight-up rude, it’s also a horrible business model. According to a study by Twilio Flex, 62% of respondents have stopped using a company or service specifically because of a bad customer support experience. On the flip side, 80% of respondents are more likely to be loyal to a company in the future if they have a positive experience with their support team. If you only offer support to your most loyal customers, then the minute your lower-tiered customers have an issue, they’ll abandon you for your competition and never move up the ranks of your system. Instead, you should train your support staff to provide premium-level service to everyone that will encourage your customers to stay with your brand and even consider an upselling opportunity.  All customers, regardless of how much they spend with your brand, deserve access to customer service. Full stop. Every problem should be corrected, whether it’s coming from a first-time customer or

The way you interact with potential clients impacts the entire customer journey. As a client service representative, you’re more than client support. You’re also tasked with building the foundation for a strong working relationship. This is why you need to understand the 10 questions every client service representative should ask.  Not only does this identify early on if the client is the right fit for you, but it makes sure you’re both on the same page. If you have strong brand values, goals, and clear audience profiles, it’s easier to navigate these conversations. The right questions identify objectives, plans, and expectations. They also are a chance to learn how you can improve and build on real-world feedback.  However, it’s not enough to ask questions as they randomly come to you. Empowering your client service team as well as the entire organization with the right questions increases your chances of success. Communication is the most important part of any business interaction, and it can’t be an afterthought. Keep reading to learn the 10 questions every client service representative should ask.  1. What are your objectives? To begin, objectives set the stage. If you don’t know what your prospective client is looking for, you’ll never get them there.  How do they define success? What are they most focused on? For example, if you’re running a marketing agency, your clients might be focused on driving traffic, increasing conversions, or brand awareness. On the other hand, if you’re a real estate agent helping someone find a home, discover what they’re looking for.  To put it another way, don’t assume you know exactly what your clients want without asking them. When you define goals and objectives, it’s easier to see what success looks like to them. From there, you can align your own metrics with those of your clients. By taking a client-first approach, you focus on their values and how to best serve them.  2. Why is now the right time to hire? Next, why is it that they’re hiring someone right now? If you’re working with a company, you’ll want to know why they opted to hire you vs. hiring internally. If you’re working with an individual, why are they choosing now to reach out? This question might sound simple, but it’s a chance to get a lot of insight.  One way to think of this is as a way to uncover your client’s motivation. Perhaps their business is growing too rapidly and they need to outsource quickly. Or maybe they’re facing a major life change (marriage, divorce, children, etc.) that’s spurred a shift. You won’t know until you ask! 3. What’s your budget? Of course, it’s important to make sure you and your client are on the same page with your budget. Not only does this avoid wasting unnecessary time, but you can scope the project to your client’s individual finances. While it can be awkward to talk money right off the bat, it’s a key indicator of success.  Your client’s budget should always match their expectations and timing. If you notice any huge disparities, this could be a chance to educate them about the value of your services and expertise. Offering different packages and upsells makes this process even smoother, especially if these are clearly listed in your marketing materials. You always need to value full transparency.  4. What have your past experiences with competitors been like? Similarly, how would your client describe their past experiences with other professionals or companies in your field? Have they been positive, or are you the first one they’ve tried? This is a good way to gauge your client’s trust level. If they’ve only had great experiences, they might be prepared to jump right in. Alternatively, if they’ve had bad experiences, you might have to jump some hurdles to win their trust.  Most importantly, learn from the mistakes of others. If a client complains about something their past provider did (ie. poor communication), this is a chance for you to do better. When you show that you can actively listen to their concerns, this builds a strong working relationship.  5. What other providers did you look at? Additionally, it’s helpful to know what other providers a client considered. If they chose to work with you, that’s great news! It means you have a distinct advantage against the competition. It’s helpful to understand who else they might have looked into, as well as their pros vs. cons. This question easily ties into the previous one, giving you opportunities to learn from the competition.  While you should always focus on your own goals as a professional, all client service representatives need to understand the scope of their own industries. Since you’re building a long-term relationship, you might learn key insights you can apply to the rest of your organization. Customer service doesn’t exist in silos, remember? It’s everyone’s responsibility within an organization.  6. Where did you hear about us? Next, you want to make sure your marketing dollars are being put to work wisely. All professionals use different channels to communicate with potential leads. You might invest in social media marketing, print advertising, or loyalty programs. The better you understand how clients discover your business, the easier it is to fund marketing that works.  This doesn’t have to be a complicated answer. They might have been recommended by a past client or simply walked past your office a few times. Whatever it is, make note of it. Odds are this isn’t the only prospect influenced by these touchpoints.  7. How do you prefer to communicate? Similarly, your goal as a client service representative is to make sure your clients feel comfortable communicating with you. Too many professionals assume they know how their clients want to communicate, but assumptions might lead you down the right pass. Instead, ask them how often and how they prefer to communicate.  Some clients might prefer text messages, while others are strictly interested in phone calls. The more you know about them,

Customer service is always evolving in today’s world. As more brands continue to change the status quo, it’s never been more important to understand how your business can leverage customer service to stand out. Just about everything today is customer-driven. Customers have more choices than ever in just about every industry. This is why you need to pay close attention to the right customer service tips.  Thanks to digital and communication technologies, customer service engagement is at an all-time high. From social media to chatbots, everyone is willing and able to share their perspectives with their own circles and beyond. In addition, younger generations like millennials and gen-z are placing even higher demands on customer service above all.  Customer service, as a whole, is on an upward trajectory. A reported 67% of people believe customer service as a whole is improving. Still, 52% of people globally think companies need to take feedback seriously. This means driving real action and change based on the top customer service tips.  The top industry leaders today know that there’s no substitute for excellent service. If you want to build real superfans, you need to be dialed into your customers’ expectations so you can continue to exceed them. We can all relate to the frustration of dealing with a business that doesn’t have a grip on its service. In this guide, we’ll highlight the 8 customer service tips every business needs to know to succeed in 2022 and beyond.  1. Always put your customers first. To begin, you need to be a customer-first business. This means you’re always solving for the needs of your customer—not your own. When companies put themselves in their customers’ shoes, they have a deeper understanding of their needs and how to solve their problems.  The worst thing you can do is to treat your customers like a number on a sales screen. This is tempting, especially with today’s automated tools for managing customer interactions. While you should try to handle each concern quickly and efficiently, don’t ever compromise on making sure each customer feels heard and understood. Most of all, customers want to know you’re on their side.  The heart of building a customer-first business isn’t in some magic formula or watching the competition. It’s simpler than you think. When you listen and communicate, you gain a leg up over the competition. Active listening might sound simple (because it is), yet it’s something so many teams leave on the backburner. Instead of assuming you know best, talk to your customers to find a level playing field. You might be surprised just how much you learn.  How to put the customer first: 2. Use positive language in each interaction.  Speaking of communication, language matters. Words carry a lot of meaning, and the way we use them really adds up to a big impression. One of the most underutilized customer service tips every business should know is the importance of positive language. When you have a positive tone and vocabulary for your team to use, it’s much easier to steer a conversation with a customer towards a resolution.  Not only does this prevent escalating issues with customers, but it helps them feel appreciated. They want to know that support teams are taking their problems seriously, no matter how small. Each team member should know how to demonstrate confidence with each issue, even if they sense the customer’s frustration.  How do you use positive language? This doesn’t always come easily, especially if you don’t know what to look for. Always do your best to avoid words that are usually seen as negative like “can’t,” “don’t,” or “won’t.” For example, saying “I don’t know how to do that” or “I can’t do it” sends a negative message. More importantly, it shows that you don’t really care. Instead, focus on solutions, listening, and finding a resolution.  How to use positive language: 3. Slow down to handle each concern with care. Another important tip is to remember to slow down. Yes, time is of the essence when handling customer concerns. Nobody wants to be strung along through multiple hoops that take forever. Anyone who’s ever called their cable or internet provider knows how annoying this can be. However, there’s something even more annoying: not solving the problem correctly the first time.  If you’re in such a rush to jump on the next call that you forget to ask critical questions, you could run into a mistake. You might waste more time in the meantime by jumping to the wrong conclusions. Worst of all, the customer might not find the resolution he or she is looking for. When you slow down to take the time to treat each customer as an individual, you build a real connection.  Great customer service isn’t necessarily the fastest. It’s the most effective. Your goal is always to solve the customer’s problem the first time. If the customer has to jump back on a support call later or continues to be frustrated, they’re likely to skip to a competitor in the future. Why would they keep trying to work with a brand that’s not helping? How to slow down: 4. Be proactive to customers’ needs. Fourth, the best customer service interactions are ones that are proactive vs. reactive. Today, it’s no longer enough to provide okay customer service. It’s honestly not even enough to provide great service. You need to be outstanding. This means anticipating customer support needs when you can.  No, you don’t need a time machine to see into the future. Rather, look for the next problem you can solve (vs. what you can sell). Your existing customers are more likely to be your future customers. It’s true that a 5% increase in customer retention can boost your profits by over 25%. This is because your existing customers are more likely to stay loyal as long as you provide a meaningful customer experience.  Beyond this, don’t guess what customers might want in the future. Create opportunities for two-way conversations.

In today’s world, few things matter more to your brand than the customer experience. More than just a trendy buzzword, your customer experience is the foundation for your entire business. If you follow the customer experience best practices, you not only boost your revenue. You also promote loyalty, retain engaged customers, and create raving superfans.  In the past, brands did what’s called an “inside out” approach. This means basing decisions on what was best for the business, not their customers. Today, the tables have turned. Winning companies adopt an outside-in approach, meaning they’re affected by the needs and expectations of customers.  Positive experiences don’t just result in more brand awareness. In fact, 74% of customers are at least somewhat likely to buy based on experience alone. That means a positive experience has the potential for long-term payoff. As we enter what’s called the “feedback economy,” your customers’ opinions are more public than ever before. The entire economy is built on reputation, feedback, reviews, and social shares.  It’s time to make your customers a top priority. These 10 customer experience best practices are what you need to know to succeed this year and beyond. The better you understand your audience, the better equipped you are to create an experience designed for them.  Consider everyone a part of your customer service team. One of the first customer experience best practices that you need to know is about inclusivity. When it comes to customer service, you can’t keep your team in silos. While most brands focus their customer service training on the service team, this is a mistake. Every branch of the company interacts with customers in some way, from sales to IT.  When you consider everyone in your company as a part of your customer service team, everyone is prepared to make every interaction a good one. No matter how small, your customer experience is the sum of every interaction—no matter how small. A reported 63% of customers say the best brands exceed expectations at every stage of the customer journey. This is something you need to build into every team, training, and interaction.  How do you include everyone at your brand in your service team? It starts by demonstrating and modeling these values as a team. This means defining a culture of positivity, helpfulness, and compassion. From there, give your whole team the training, experience, and tools they need to build better experiences.  Use automation to provide immediate responses to customers. Second, time is of the essence when it comes to the customer experience. We can all relate to the frustration of having to wait several hours or even days for a response. Not only is this annoying, but it has the potential to push you towards a competitor. Instead, use automation to provide immediate responses to customers.  Thanks to modern technology, people have shorter patience than ever before. We want what we want fast. A startling 31% of customers want a response from brands within an hour or less. The sooner you can get to customers, the better. Because it’s impractical to have a team member waiting night and day to answer concerns, let new technology shine through.  Automation can handle most customer concerns today with ease. Using an AI tool to manage basic customer concerns or follow up with customers lets them know their time matters to you. For example, Expedia has a “Virtual Agent” bot that helps with canceling bookings, refund status, and so on in just a few clicks.  Streamline communication between customers and your team. Third, brands need to streamline communication between customers and teams. There is often a disconnect between customer feedback and your team. Except for your support staff, most teams aren’t aware of how consumers feel about changes, updates, and so on. This feedback is essential as part of the customer experience best practices.  It’s your job to break down these walls in communication. This all comes down to the accessibility of information. When teams stay transparent about changes from the top-down, everyone feels in the loop. Your team members are advocates for your success—make sure they feel included.  From there, make it as easy as possible for your customers to reach your team. This means including multiple methods of communication, like email, phone, or chat. Consider the ways your audience likes to communicate. There is no one-size-fits-all. When in doubt, ask them yourself! We don’t all have the same communication styles, and you want to personalize the experience to your customers’ needs.  Make true transparency a staple in your messaging. Next, your brand needs to be an advocate for transparency. In the feedback economy, transparency has never been more influential. While it’s easy to throw around the term “transparency” without any action to back it up, customers see through this quickly. You just have to look at industry giants like Facebook to see how quickly a company’s trust spirals downward by failing to invest in transparency.  Even though Facebook claims to be committed to transparency moving forward, the damage is done. People no longer trust Facebook with their data, and it’s an upward battle to change this narrative. Brand transparency is when a company proves itself to be open, accessible, and genuine. Brand transparency means being clear with your messaging, owning up to problems quickly, and never playing the blame game.  One of the biggest examples of brand transparency is the skincare brand Lush. With clearly displayed policies and values on the company website, Lush is committed to ethical buying and ethos. All of Lush’s ingredients are listed, even going as far as to define what “safe synthetics” means. By committing to these levels of authenticity, Lush earns trust.  Be honest and act quickly when things go wrong. Speaking of transparency, another customer experience best practice you need to know has to do with when things go wrong. Accidents happen, and things fall through the cracks. It can be intimidating to clean up your hypothetical mess, but how you act in