Do You Make Your Customers Feel Welcome?

When a new customer is greeted by your employees, the first impression can determine if you gain business and retain clients. Companies that evaluate whether their customer service initiatives make their customers feel welcome have the upper hand in obtaining repeat business. Investigate if your employees are welcoming customers to keep them coming back again and again.

Do You Have the Right Employees?

The best-laid plans for customer service initiatives are only successful with employees who understand that welcoming customers should be the top priority. In fact, 70 percent of the buying experience is based on how the customer is welcomed and treated, according to Customer Service Strategist Blake Morgan with Forbes. Evaluate whether your employees exhibit patience, empathy and gratitude when dealing with customers. Provide training programs and resources to help your employees learn about customer service strategies that retain clients. Ensure that your employees understand the mission of the company and are invested and committed to the company's goals. Employees who are prepared, confident and happy are more likely to please your clients and make them feel welcome.

Do You Have Personalized Strategies?

Customers crave a personal connection when purchasing products and services. Train your employees to make a connection through pleasant conversations and inquiries with your clients. You could provide a script of questions to ask to determine the needs of the clients so your employees can give suggestions that are personalized for each client's buying experience. The reality is that customers remember negative experiences, but they also remember positive interactions with employees and businesses and are more likely to pass on praise that can result in potential business. An American Express survey reported that 46 percent of customers said they shared good customer service experiences with others. Leave a lasting impression by encouraging employees to take a special interest in each and every customer.

Is Your Business Prepared for Volume?

Not only is it crucial to have well-trained customers, it is vital to have enough staff to meet the demands of your clients. Customers do not care if your business is short-staffed or experiencing a high volume of clients at the time. Customers want to feel special, and long wait times and stressed employees do not show them they are a priority. Improve the overall first and last impressions customers have of you and your business by predicting the workload when scheduling employees to ensure you have enough staff to please potential and existing clients.

Attract and retain more clients with customer service strategies that make clients feel welcome from the start of the transaction to completion. Your business may not only see an increase in profits but also an increase in production with satisfied staff members and customers.

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