The Importance of Quality Customer Service for Business

Even when your product is the very best on the market, there’s still one factor that could make or break you—customer service. According to an American Express Survey, more than half of consumers have scrapped a planned purchase because of bad service. The survey also found that a poor service experience is shared with an average of 15 people, versus a good experience which is shared with just 11 people. 

Training your sales team to provide exceptional service is the key to capturing an intended purchase. Your customers want to feel like their time is being valued. Go the extra mile to make their experience enjoyable and the results will show. 7 out of 10 consumers say they spend more money to do business with a company that delivers great service. How much more? Well, millennials are willing to spend 21% more on their purchase in exchange for a better service experience. 

Face-to-Face Time 

It’s harder than ever to make a true connection with your prospects and earn their trust. Onsite visits are the perfect opportunity to do just that. In-person interactions are invaluable when it comes to building a relationship with prospective customers. People are constantly deciding between one brand and another. Differentiate yourself from competitors with onsite visits or events that allow your brand personality to shine. Then, prospects will associate a feeling with your brand, whereas most other brands are just seen as emails in their inbox. Whether your onsite opportunity is inspired by the season, like a Fall Festival, or an Open House tied to an offer, any reason to get your prospects in front of you is a good one. Show off your product, educate your prospects on what sets you apart, then sit back and watch the magic happen! Stay Connected Email is effective and there are statistics to prove it. 

Marketing research institute, MarketingSherpa, reports that 86% of customers to enjoy receiving promotional emails at least once a month while 61% enjoy receiving promotional emails weekly. Once a customer shows interest in your business by signing up for your email list, it’s your responsibility to keep your business on the top of their mind by staying in contact. 

Opt-in email is a very targeted form of marketing that allows you to tailor your message to an audience that has already asked you to make contact. 

Business Insider calls opt-in email subscribers a “super-responsive, action-oriented set of subscribers who are most likely to buy from you, sooner or later.” 

Put Your Message in Motion 

We’re all familiar with the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” According to Forrester Research, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words! Video is engaging, eye-catching, and highly influential. That’s why video content must be an integral part of the marketing strategy. As a matter of fact, one-third of all the time people spend online is dedicated to watching videos. Your website is 50 times more likely to appear on the first page of search results if it includes a video. People also stay 2 minutes longer on your site if you have video content. Just remember to keep it short and sweet. Videos under 90 seconds see a successful average retention rate of 53%. 

Say it with Social 

“Conversations are happening whether you are there or not.” - Kim Garst 

Over the next 60 seconds, 400 people will create a new Facebook account. The average Instagram user will spend 53 minutes using the app today. By the end of this week, there will be over 9 billion content impressions on LinkedIn. If you do not utilize social channels to distribute content and maintain a relationship with your consumers, then consider your business irrelevant in today’s global market. While developing your social strategy there are a few key elements to consider. 

1. Brand Voice - Create a dialogue with your audience using a clear and consistent voice. Your posts should vary on different channels – don’t just copy and paste the same thing from Facebook to Instagram. Utilize each platform’s unique features individually. 
2. Content – Create a variety of content from community-based to industry-specific to customer-related. 
3. Visuals - Select high-quality stock or original imagery/videos to send your message. 
4. Advertising - Amplify your marketing campaign through social ads. Create a targeted audience, analyze your results and refresh your campaigns based on what you find. Consider carousel, lead generation or video ads on Facebook for mobile optimization, a lower cost-per-click (CPC) rate, and direct access to interested individuals 
5. Sharing - Encourage followers and employees to share original content on their personal pages/profiles to increase awareness and followers. More Mobile. More Results. People spend over three hours a day on mobile. Mobile advertising is now one of the most important marketing platforms to invest in. 

Easy access to information with a swift movement of the finger make consumers more likely to spend their time researching brands, weighing their options, and making decisions on a mobile device. Facebook and YouTube are the two most used apps on mobile! 

Use Facebook to:  

• Define Your Brand 
• Start a Conversation with Prospects 

Use YouTube to: 

• Tell Your Message Through Video Content 

Use Instagram to: 

• Create an Ongoing Relationship 
• Get Prospects to Engage Research shows that 80% of Instagram users voluntarily connect with a brand. 

Use Google to: 

• Target Prospects with Google Search Ads and Display Ads.