In our fast-paced, me-centered world, having a company with a focus on creating a fantastic customer interaction is rare. Because most companies do not have this focus, a great way for any small business to differentiate themselves in the marketplace is to focus on creating consistent 5-Star Customer Experiences with all of their customers.
Several years ago, Shep Hyken wrote a book called “Amaze Every Customer Every Time.” In it he shared the strategy Ace Hardware has used to instill a culture of “Customer Amazement.” Without going through every aspect of the Ace Hardware strategy, there are five lessons we can all apply which can help us nurture strong brand loyalty as we consistently provide a 5-Star Customer Experience for all of our customers.
Commit to every customer having a 5-Star (Way-Better-Than Average) Customer Experience in every interaction with you and your company.
You cannot leave this to chance. Every encounter they have with you and your company is an opportunity. Train for those moments. Plan for those moments. How are you going to “wow” them so that they have a 5-Star Experience?
Be alert whenever a customer is having a negative interaction with your company. Find a way to turn it into a 5-Star Customer Experience.
Negative experiences will happen. Your product was defective. You delivered the wrong item. The service technician was not on time. While that is never good, realize that your customer is used to excuses, blame, and deflection in those situations. Because your customer has such low expectations of you in this moment, you can transform these negative moments into a 5-Star Customer Experience simply by not being like everyone else! Own your mistake. Make it right. Go the extra mile. They won’t forget it!
Avoid customers having Mediocre Experiences at all costs.
Mediocrity is everywhere. If you are content with your customers having non-memorable experiences with you, they will soon be shopping with your competitor. What are you doing in your interaction with your customer that makes you stand out from your competition?
Build a culture of treating people to 5-Star Experiences both inside and outside of your company.
The goal is to make 5-Star Experiences the norm until they literally become established as part of your company’s culture. To move from having 5-Star Experiences to having a 5-Star Culture, you must have a commitment to value people, starting from within our organization. If you want your employees to know how to give the customer a 5-Star Experience, make sure you give that employee the 5-Star treatment every day. You must build a culture of 5-Star Experiences inside the organization before your team will internalize and live this out to the customers outside of the organization.
Realize your customer needs multiple 5-Star Customer Experiences before they will be raving fans.
They will not believe this is normal the first time they encounter it. After all, that is not how they are treated by most of the companies they do business with. If they receive that same experience over and over again however, they will not just be your customers, they will become raving fans and your company’s brand ambassadors. That is a winning way to do business!
So make a commitment today to providing 5-Star Experiences to your customers in every interaction. It does not cost you any money. It will however, set you up for great success!
If you want to learn more about how to create 5-Star Customer Experiences, feel free to contact me at tims@bbleadercoach.com and we will set up a free business strategy coaching session. You may learn more at https://www.bbleadercoach.com.