At the end of the day, who doesn’t want to feel valued and important? As a business owner, your job is to keep customers happy and provide them with a service or product that improves their life in some way. And that’s where customer interaction comes into play.

Things aren’t as they once were for businesses, because consumers have unlimited access to a plethora of businesses in every industry imaginable. That means that business owners need to go the extra mile and focus on strong customer communication. 

Each customer interaction is an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your customer that results in their loyalty, which means more revenue for your business. 

In other words, make your customers feel like a VIP with every interaction. Here’s how:

Listen to Understand

When your customers are telling you what help they need from you and what issues they are experiencing, listen to them in order to understand. Too often, the customer to business relationship feels rushed and “to the point.” Now, i’m not suggesting wasting time just to carry on a random conversation, but instead listening while your customer is speaking to understand how they’re feeling and what you can do to help them. 

Know their Name

Everyone loves to feel appreciated. Knowing someone’s first name is a small gesture that really goes a long way. Make your customers feel like VIPs by showing that you value them enough to remember their name. 

Track Transaction Data

What was the last service your customer needed from you? What issues have they had in the past with their HVAC, plumbing, pest problems, etc? If you can answer these questions then you’re likely doing a great job of tracking transaction data. If you can’t, now is the time to start tracking that increasingly valuable information that makes customers feel like the ultimate VIPs because your business can cater to their needs without them even having to ask. 

Provide Follow-Up Service

After completing a service for your customer, follow-up. Find out how things are going and if everything is still working as it should. Send helpful tips and information that will prolong the life of the service you completed for them. Or simply follow-up to say thank you. However you decide to get in touch with your customers, provide them with follow-up service to show them how thankful you are for their business. 

A great rule of thumb when it comes to making your customers feel like a VIP with each interaction is to think of your greatest experiences as a consumer. What businesses have left you feeling impressed and excited to work with them again? What businesses have made you feel like you were more than a customer? And what did they do to make you feel that way? These are great questions to ask yourself, as a business owner, when it comes to how you interact with your customers. 

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, 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!