Over half of customers stay loyal to brands that “get them” and understand their preferences. Working to truly understand your customers is worth the time and effort it takes, because loyal customers are increasingly valuable to businesses. Over 80% of consumers say that they expect businesses to “compete” for the best customer service. The first step to providing your customers with exceptional customer service is to know and understand your customers and their needs. What is it that consumers need from your business? How can you keep in touch and engage with your customer in the future? Are you providing customers with personalized service? These are the questions that you should be asking yourself in order to better serve your customers and keep them loyal to your brand. 

According to Business2Community.com, “Delivering a quality customer experience can improve a customer’s loyalty by 90%.”

How can you understand customer preferences and deliver quality service?

1. Track Transaction History: Know what your customers have purchased in the past from your business, in order to forecast what services they’ll need from you in the future. For example: if your customer had their home carpets cleaned by your business 4 months ago, it may be time to send a reminder for them to set up another appointment in the next month or so. Keeping track of transaction history shows your customers that you know what they need from you and you’re available to help.

• Know Your Customer’s Preferred Contact Method: Do your customers prefer to schedule appointments through calls or texts? Do they prefer to ask questions through webchat rather than over the phone? It’s a business owner’s job to provide your customers with options so they can reach you in whatever way they prefer. 

• Personalize Interactions: Today’s consumers are used to a level of customer care that is pretty impressive. Personalizing interactions with your customers is something that big businesses can’t compete with. Small business owners have the upper hand when it comes to personalized interactions with their customers, and it’s important to use that in your favor. Personalized interactions are what will make your customers loyal to your business. 

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!