Regardless of the shape, size or industry of a business, the endgame is, and should always be, the customer. Whether that be a direct consumer, another business or the wider community – they’re what keeps the business ticking.
As a company dedicated to getting Aussie’s the best bang for their buck, we’ve focused on keeping an ear to the ground to seek out feedback from our customers.
Here are three ways your business can thrive by keeping a constant loop of customer feedback:
1. Measure and implement customer feedback
There’s a reason the phrase, ‘the customer is always right’ was coined – we’re accountable to our customers and for their happiness. But how can businesses effectively measure this and ensure it’s implemented?
One of the most valuable ways to listen and measure customer feedback is through online review websites like Trustpilot. Anyone can jump on the website and share their experiences with a service. For you as a business, it acts as a good starting point to see what customers love and don’t love about your service. There’re also survey platforms like AskNicely. It’s a quick and easy way for customers to provide feedback, which can again be used to measure and improve your customer experience. Similarly, monitoring your social media accounts provides a glimpse into what customers think and want.
Businesses should also utilise recorded customer service calls to learn from customers directly. While this information is strictly confidential and anonymous, even the smallest comment from a customer stating why they love the recent login process update, for example, is incredibly valuable for your business as it continues to map out improvements and updates.
Both one-to-one and general feedback not only establishes a constant loop of customer and business communication, but injects businesses with a clear direction.
2. Understand your customer community
When dealing with customers around the world, it’s crucial to provide support outside of normal business hours — a customer service number or email address no longer cuts it.
A ‘live chat’ feature on your website is an easy way for businesses to communicate with customers across different continents, using different languages, no matter what their issue may be. Similarly, 24/7 SMS updates are a great way of offering users immediate visibility.
These services are only realised when businesses take the time to understand the unique needs of their customers. Whether it’s learning more about the local customs in the country of your customer, what holidays they celebrate or staying abreast of local news, a customer-centric approach where businesses take time to understand individual needs and interests makes all the difference.
This enables businesses to pinpoint exactly what methods of support are needed. Businesses should have their eye on the bigger picture, knowing it’s not just about the exact service there and then, but what this means to customers in the grander scheme.
3. Keep your customers happy
It may sound obvious, but customers really do make or break a business, so it’s important they stick around. To this day, I’m still in touch with the very first customer who used our service over ten years ago. Speaking to her really puts the business offering into perspective, especially when looking at the difference over a long period of time.
These types of relationships enable businesses to gain more perspective on what else they can do for customers using their services. Happy customers are far more likely to recommend you to others too, so keeping customers happy will help expand your customer base as well as retain current customers. A customer referral system is a great way to fuel this. Whether it’s offering a discount, free trial or free first service, it empowers existing customers and rewards new ones.
From day one, businesses should take a customer-centric approach. It’s not rocket science — just look at what the end-customer really wants and needs. There are various tools and approaches to stay in touch with customers; implementing this feedback and change shows them you’re listening and really care about their experience. At the end of the day a happy customer makes a happy business.
About the author
Robbie Sampson is the co-founder and CEO of global money transfer service OrbitRemit. He brings a lifetime of entrepreneurship to OrbitRemit, having been self-employed his whole life. At just 19, Robbie started his first business, employing five people, as well as exploring businesses in tech, real estate, nightclubs and personal security before founding money transfer company, OrbitRemit in 2008. Under his guidance, OrbitRemit has experienced tremendous growth since inception, already helping people around the world transfer more than half a billion a year OrbitRemit operates in 39 countries around the world and employs 40 staff across offices in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia.
