The vast majority of small businesses depend on customers to generate revenue so naturally, focusing on the customer experience is a critical operational component. Bad or negative customer experiences can be devastating for small businesses, especially in the digital age. Aggregated statistics from ZenDesk Blog indicated that 73% of customers surveyed based purchasing decisions solely on the customer experience while almost half said they left a brand they were loyal to because of poor or negative customer experiences. With most small businesses relying on customers for revenue, a strong focus on the customer experience and process is an essential part of operations and should be reviewed and optimized on a consistent basis. Brands that take customer service seriously can realize financial as well as reputational and marketing benefits.

Customer Service from the Customer’s Perspective

Businesses that depend on customers to generate revenue also depend on delivering exceptional customer experiences on a consistent basis. Bad customer interactions can harm a brands reputation and have adverse effects on loyalty and marketing presence. Small business owners and managers should review the customer service process from the customer perspective to identify opportunities for improvement and maximize the interaction. Individual customer service skills such as tonality, communication style, active listening and body language can be optimized along the frontline team to ensure high levels of customer service. During customer interactions, asking open ended questions is an effective way to build sales and provide exceptional service. Defining customer service mandates, processes and expectations will get individuals on the same page when it comes to customer experiences.

Organizing Knowledge and Resources

Customer facing businesses that sell goods and services can improve customer experiences by adopting strong organizational habits and systems for the customer service process. Those working in customer service roles can benefit from having organized resources available to them that increase product or service knowledge as well as information on associative products and add ons to build individual sales. When engaging customers, frontline employees have opportunities to build rapport with the customer and increase the value of the transaction by displaying product knowledge. Consistent communication of expectations and knowledge updates can positively influence the selling abilities of frontline teams and increase performance during those valuable customer interactions.

Each Customer is a Valuable Asset

Small businesses are navigating choppy waters in the current economic environment and each customer interaction must be looked upon as an opportunity to increase business. Strategizing customer service and processes to identify areas of improvement can help maximize each customer engagement and potentially increase the value of each transaction. Focusing efforts on each interaction on its own will improve customer experiences and yield both business and brand reputation benefits. Frontline workers that utilize essential and advanced customer service skills will deliver those exceptional experiences to customers while maximizing the interaction to its fullest potential.

The Bottom Line

Customer service is the main revenue generator for the majority of small businesses and prioritizing the customer experience is essential in todays’ highly competitive marketplace. Great experiences can influence purchasing decisions and could be a competitive advantage for a brand within a crowded selling space. As customer expectations continue to rise, small businesses that review and strategize the customer service process can deliver better experiences consistently while maximizing each and every interaction and opportunity. Sharpening and developing individual customer service skills is a critical part of any customer experience strategy and taking stock of current training needs can identify opportunities for improvement and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.