Customer Service Tactics to Boost Customer Loyalty

If there's one thing that could be described as the Holy Grail of business, it's probably customer loyalty. Garnering such dedication that a consumer will actively 'fight your corner' is something that any sensible company should aspire to. We've got a few tactics you may not have considered; try slipping them into your next customer service training session, then just watch your customer loyalty skyrocket.

Tip #1: Create memorable moments

When a customer chooses your business to fulfil their requirements, they do so with an image of who you are as a business in their mind. In order to maintain this image and then build on it, you should try to create memorable moments for the customer. Examples may include: how cared for they feel when they enter your premises, the tone of staff members they speak to, any special treatment they receive as new customers.

Tip #2: Meet the three most important needs

Customers have needs, and tending to them is your core objective. There are three very important needs you may not know about, and tackling each one will boost your customer loyalty in new ways. The first need is that of meeting a customer’s business expectation (providing the basic service). The second is the need to interact with a person, and giving your company a face. The final need is more behind the scenes, and it manifests itself by way of your company processes, attitude and presentation.

Tip #3: Never forget about personal interaction

This should be a staple of all customer service courses: always providing a personal experience to the customer by actually meeting them face-to-face or at least over the phone. The internet is great for business, but it can alienate customers. By treating a customer as a real human being, you’ll win their loyalty fast.

Tip #4: Always meet service expectations

Don’t forget the distinction between services (which is what you offer) and service (which is how you go about providing what you offer). The customer will have a certain expectation of both the product or service, and the way in which it’ll be delivered. If you can nail down both of these areas, your customers will keep coming back.

Want A Thriving Business? Try The New Sales Coaching Approach

When it comes to motivating your work force and keeping them fully engaged, there have always been plenty of different choices for managers and trainers. But none of these are truly effective in the long-run, often leading to short-term boosts and nothing more. To really achieve a thriving business, you may need to revisit your approach to sales coaching – and we’d like to discuss that very thing in this article.

External motivation isn’t always the answer

Let's assume that at some point you've had experience of incentives. Many companies use them for lots of different reasons, and the assumption they make is that an external motivator (like money or a prize) will lead to long-term improvements in productivity. But this unfortunately is not the case. Rather these can stifle workers’ creativity and can cause more problems than they solve. The answer is simple: focus instead on internal motivation. This occurs when an employee finds something they really enjoy doing, or they perform a task and satisfy another need within them – such as contributing to a team. In both cases, it's all about satisfying internal needs, and the results are much longer lasting.

The psychological needs of staff

It's clear that the best workers will be those who feel comfortable, happy and valued in their positions. But to nurture this, there are a number of psychological needs that must be fulfilled. Studies have shown that these needs are: competence, relatedness and autonomy. The first, competence, refers to feeling like they have the ability to do their job to the best of their ability. The next, relatedness, refers to staff feeling like they are part of a team. The third, autonomy, ensures staff feel like they can do their job without external motivation.

Need-based leadership

The core of the new sales coaching approach is one that focuses on the three needs we mentioned above. By leading in a way that enables team members to feel competent, related to others, and autonomous in their role, helps staff to maintain peace of mind and confidence. This confidence will lead to increased job satisfaction and, by extension, productivity.

If you’re part of a business that’s striving to thrive, why not try out the new thought-based leadership approach? It might just change the fortunes of your company.