4 Little Things That Can Make a Big Impression on Your Customers

You have big ambition, big ideas and lofty ideals for your business. And that’s great! But did you ever notice that sometimes it’s the little things in life that make all the difference? The mint under your pillow when you stay in a hotel. The smile on your barista’s face when she hands you your morning coffee. When someone tells you to “have a nice day” and they actually mean it. All enterprises are deeply invested in their customer care. They know how competitive the business landscape is. They know that in a digitally informed age, customers are growing increasingly fickle. And they know that if they don’t make their customers feel valued, they’ll have no compunctions whatsoever about crossing the road and doing business with your competitors. We’ve already talked at length about big changes you can implement to improve your customer service. Yet while these are all powerful improvements that any business can make, one mustn’t forget how powerful an impression the little things can make on your customers…à

Image by Jeremy Segrott via Flickr

Eye contact

You can give your employees the most beautifully written script, but when it comes to communicating with customers, words will only ever get you so far. One of the most important aspects of communication, and one that’s sadly neglected in many industries, is eye contact. Unless you look a customer in the eye, they’ll always doubt the sincerity with which you speak to them. Eye contact makes customers feel heard, understood and valued. Neglect it and your customers will, in turn, feel neglected.

Make it easy for them to do business with you

There was a time when convenience was a luxury commodity. Today, however, it’s considered a necessity. We live in an era where convenience is like oxygen… It’s only really conspicuous when it’s absent. Thus, you’ll always be on the back foot if you don’t make it easy and pleasant for customers to do business with you. Being able to accept credit cards is good, being able to accept Apple or Android pay is better. Having a website is good. Having a mobile app is better. The easier it is for customers to do business with you, the less inclined they’ll feel to take a chance on your competitors.

Remember something about them that’s nothing to do with your transaction

Customers like to know that you value them as human beings, not as someone who is handing you their hard earned money. Take the time to get to know them and they will reward you with their loyalty. This is where your CRM comes in handy. Your customer mentions that their eldest daughter has a big exam coming up? Jot it down in your CRM. The next time you see them you can ask how she got on. Your customer just got married? Jot it down in your CRM so that when you next see them you can ask them how the honeymoon went. Maybe you could even give them a little extra something to say congratulations, which brings us to…

Don’t be shy about using GLUE

Who doesn’t love getting cool stuff for free? Customers love getting freebies, so long as what’s being given is of value to them. As such, don’t be shy when it comes to using GLUE or Giving Little Unexpected Extras. Allowing customers to earn points and loyalty bonuses is one thing, but giving them something extra that they’re not expecting is something else. The rewards you’ll reap in loyalty and goodwill will more than make up for the tiny overhead cost.

So, when you’re thinking of how to overhaul your customer service policies, don’t forget the importance of the little things!