Customer Experience Tip #1290

While it’s important to be the expert for your customers and clients, that doesn’t mean knowing EVERYTHING. When you don’t know something, just say so. When you’re viewed as the expert, your “credibility meter” goes up (not down) when you admit to not having all of the answers. Repeat after me: “I don’t know. But if that’s important to you, I’ll make it my mission to find out.”

Customer Experience Tip #1289

What are the most common customer complaints for your industry as a whole? If you don’t already know, then just ask Google. These top complaints … this is the reputation you are up against before your customer even meets you. What actions (more than lip service) are you taking to dispel their concerns?

Customer Experience Tip #1288

Be the confident expert for your customers and clients, not the cocky know-it-all. There’s a huge difference in the dynamic of kindness alone. Confidence attracts … cockiness repels.

Customer Experience Tip #1287

Customer surveys only work when customers feel safe in sharing their perceptions; their perceived truth. If there’s one thing customers dislike more than customer satisfaction surveys, it’s being coached on how to complete customer satisfaction surveys.

Customer Experience Tip #1286

“If you can’t be reliable for the little things, your customers will never trust you to be reliable for the big things.” –Karen Mishra, Entrepreneur.com

Customer Experience Tip #1285

Touting all of the ways you are different — and how you add value in ways that your competitors don’t — is actually a waste of time … unless of course you’ve taken the time to discover what matters most to that customer you’re speaking with. In other words, ask thoughtful questions and listen well — THEN you’ll know exactly what you should be sharing with that particular person. One size does not fit all.

Customer Experience Tip #1284

Take a close look at the terminology being used inside of your industry and — most importantly — inside of your own organization. Is it customer-centric? If you’re still using terms that could feel negative or unfriendly, you don’t need anyone’s permission to reinvent. Your language helps to shape your culture. Be intentional about it.

Customer Experience Tip #1283

It should come as no surprise that most of the longstanding brands that have had a commitment to customer experience since they were founded are some of the brands we still know and love today. They’ve weathered all kinds of storms and are all-but recession proof. They won’t die because we won’t let them.

Customer Experience Tip #1282

Your customers expect you to behave in a way that demonstrates how you appreciate them, that you care about them, and that you’re worthy of their repeat business and that of their friends and family. Act accordingly.

Customer Experience Tip #1281

“Too many companies focus on individual interaction touchpoints devoted to billing, onboarding, service calls, and the like. In contrast, a customer journey spans a progression of touchpoints and has a clearly defined beginning and end.”

–McKinsey & Company