8 Ways to Get Close to Your Customers
Want to add more value to your customers? Be sure you know what to add..
Here are eight proven ways to get close to your customers and
find out what they value, what they care about, what they really
want:
1. Ask them! Whether in print, in person or over the phone,
nothing beats asking customers exactly what they want, and how
they want it. (Ask them what they don’t want, too!) Use printed
sheets, mail-back forms, comment cards, telephone scripts and
more.
2. Conduct focus groups. Bring a group of customers together for
an open-ended chat session. Set them at ease and get them
talking about what they really like, don’t like and wish they
could get from your business. Don’t defend, justify or argue.
Just ask questions and take good notes. Follow up with a sincere
and generous ‘Thank
you!’
3. Study complaints and compliments. Every message from a
customer brings value to your doorstep. Compliments show you
what to reinforce. Complaints point to new ideas and action
steps for improvement.
4. Set up a customer hotline. Some customers will tell you what
they think, but they want an ‘anonymous’ way to do it. Fine! Set
up a special voice recording ‘hotline’ for customers only. And
don’t worry about receiving any strange messages; just sort
through them for the gems!
5. Hire a Mystery Shopper. Have someone you trust mingle with
your customers and strike up conversation to find out what they
do and do not like.
6. Become a customer of your best competitors. Use all their
products and services, and compare them to your own. Ask their
Customer Service Center to describe all the services available
in detail. Then copy the best and do better than the rest.
7. Visit your customer’s site. Go to your customer’s physical
location to see exactly how they put your products and services
to use. See with your own eyes what works and what doesn’t, what
gets used all the time and what gets left behind.
8. Go online to seek more feedback. Find an Internet user’s
group related to your industry or topic. Read the postings for
new ideas and information. Participate in the discussions.
Follow up by e-mail to gain even deeper input and understanding.
What is your favorite technique for getting close to the
customer?
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