Why Customer Experience Matters More Than Price
Everyone has their favorite coffee shop, the jeans they feel the most comfortable in, and the grocery store that they gravitate to, and I can assure you none of those are the favorite because they are the cheapest.
For me, my favorite coffee shop is actually the most expensive, but I don’t mind spending that money at all because I feel like a member of the family every time I walk in and I want to support them (and then, of course, I love the coffee). I can justify spending more than I normally would for a cup of coffee since I like where my money is going because of the wonderful experience they are giving me.
Up until recently, customer service is where most businesses missed the mark. The importance of customer experience and nurturing customer loyalty took a back seat to the quality and price of the product. Which obviously is incredibly important and a good quality product should come first, but you do not want to disregard the quality of your product by slapping a cheap price tag on it just to draw customers in.
That’s impossible now, anyway, as everything gets more expensive for everyone, and customers are much more selective about where they spend their money, making customer loyalty for business growth the main focus.
What Counts as Customer Experience?
Customer experience (or CX), is an all encompassing term that includes customer service, customer satisfaction, ease of use, customer loyalty, and lastly, satisfaction with the product. To achieve all this, a company’s goal should be to create a seamless and enjoyable customer experience from the moment the customer enters the physical or online store, all the way through to after the purchase.
It seems like a lot of time and money to spend on things that don’t obviously benefit business growth, but analysts at McKinsey stress the importance of customer experience, saying that the more flawless a customer’s experience is, the happier they are and the cheaper it is to serve them, causing them to buy more products. So, having the best customer satisfaction strategies not only makes them want to buy more, but makes their initial cost lower to begin with.
Create a Safe Space for the Customer
It may not be obvious that you and your team have a responsibility to protect customers as they interact with your company, but one of the most overlooked customer satisfaction strategies is to create a safe space for customers to shop without judgement and with complete comfort.
Everyone has competitors out there, especially now when many independent entrepreneurs can set up full blown businesses using just their phones and/or social media, so the importance of customer experience stands out more than ever since anyone can go to another store if they feel uncomfortable or undervalued.
Customers want to know that they are valued! Ways to achieve that include, seamless and positive phone calls, chats, and email interactions where they feel safe asking questions and for what they need, and then being helped, of course. Customer satisfaction strategies here can also be to have a friendly and welcoming store and website that customers enjoy browsing and that guides them through the shopping process in a helpful and positive way.
Make it Easy for the Customer
Life is too complicated, and no one wants to endure extra steps in making a basic or even a luxury purchase, they just want to get what they need as fast and easy as possible. This is why you can really set yourself apart by making everything from finding products to payment to communication as easy as possible for the customer, which will result in customer loyalty for business growth. The easier it is to get what they need, the more they will come back.
This is especially true when it comes to payments, and this is where you need to make it the easiest to close the deal. Making the actual payment is a vulnerable point for the customer, and if anything went wrong or if it were complicated at all, the entire buying experience would be ruined for them. Whether in-store or online, having a reliable payment processor with a pleasant interface is one of the great customer satisfaction strategies.
Customer Loyalty for Business Growth
As much as businesses need customer loyalty for business growth and exposure, customers also want to be loyal and support the brands that they love. Just like me with my favorite coffee shop, many others would rather pay more for a product they value from a business they want to support over just finding the lowest price.
Keep in mind that focusing on the importance of customer experience is the key to nurturing customer loyalty, and it’s something you have to keep on nurturing! A UK study found that 63% of people say that even if they were loyal to the brand before, they would leave it after just 1 bad customer service experience. And these days, you won’t just lose their business, but everyone else’s that they share their negative customer experience with, and this is why you can never underestimate customer loyalty for business growth.
A good way for nurturing customer loyalty is to build a strong loyalty program filled with perks and engaging content that will keep your customers thinking highly of your brand and willing to pay a premium price.
Customer Experience in an Online Store
Customer experience in an online store is possibly more important than in a physical store because there is no direct in-person interaction, so the store interface needs to be smoother and easier to use. Customer satisfaction strategies for online stores can be implemented and strengthened through running website tests to make sure that the customers get the absolute best experience.
Your LincSell team knows the importance of customer service and will work with you on managing the most effective ways to arrange your online store, marketing strategy, and loyalty program for the best customer experience so your business can keep growing.
Conclusion
Convinced yet? It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s true: customer experience matters more than price. There is so much competition for customer attention that the true winners in any industry are those who prioritize the customer and make them feel valued.
Showing customers that you don’t just care about their business, but you care about them as well, goes a long way as customer satisfaction strategies go. By giving them a safe space that’s easy to navigate and use, be open to communication, and rewarding them for their loyalty, you will understand the importance of customer experience and benefit from customer loyalty for business growth.
LincSell can help you maximize your customer experience potential. Book a Demo and see what LincSell can do for you!
