Maintaining an Open Communication with Your Customer Base

One of the main reasons why people leave a place of business is because of how they were treated. A company who cares for their consumer should be smart enough to understand the value of their current customer base and recognized that there are things that need to be done in order to keep them happy. A happy customer not just only ensure a stable source of income but it is also a reliable medium for advertising and gaining more customers.

Communication with the customers is one way to know what makes a customer happy, or if they are already happy, happier. This is the reason why companies nowadays invest on customer support like live help software or outsourced chat support. This gives companies information on how they can adjust their current service and products to the liking or preferences of the consumers through feedbacks. Communicating with them also gives that first line of defense to protect the company’s reputation in case of emergencies like product and service mishaps. Since they have a way of reaching out to you, they will reach out to you first rather than talking to anybody.

Image Source: https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/

A customer support system doesn’t have to be really grand or elaborate. Nowadays, it can be a simple web chat support system, or they can reach you through a Facebook Page. Those with bigger customer base can go as far as to seek outsource customer support or chat support depending on the demand for it. 

But let us not forget that communication with your customer base, if not monitored correctly, can go the other way instead of help your company grow. That, and people tend to talk more when they experience bad service. According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, dissatisfied customers tells 9-15 people about their negative experiences while satisfied customers share their experience to 4-6 people only. So step lightly and look out for ways on how to modulate an open communication with your customers.

Image Source: https://axerosolutions.com/

1. Get to know your customers as people not buyers. Customers like to know that they are being appreciated and that their concerns are being addressed. Know what your customer likes and dislikes & how they like their service or products to be catered to them. How often do they need it? How much service do they need? Talk to your customers directly or send surveys; this way, you will have solid data on how you can give tailor-fitted service or product.

2. Create a special kind of bond. A constant customer-service provider contact can soon turn into a fostering relationship that can be both beneficial for the company and the consumer.

3. Always thank your customers for contacting you no matter what. It may be the 6th complaint call this week but never ever forget to thank the customer for letting you know about the discrepancies that they are experiencing. This will let them know that their voices are being valued.

An open communication with your customer base can really dictate the direction of a company. Keep in mind that knowing who your customer is is the key in knowing what you’re company is about.