What makes a business a success?

It’s simple. The successful ones understand their customers.

Steve Jobs said: “Get closer to your customers than ever. So close that you can tell them what they need before they realise it themselves.”

At iKhokha, we understand that a great customer experience doesn’t just happen. It is designed, scheduled and sensibly delivered – because customer experiences are unique to a business’s strategy, brand and knowledge of its customers. Now more than ever, we need to satisfy our customers. And that isn’t enough either. We need to delight them.

But, what exactly is customer delight?
Customer delight is going above and beyond meeting your customers’ expectations, and providing a delightful experience.

Here are 7 ways you can do just that too:

1. Hear the voice of your customer.
The voice of your customer is really important. When customers believe their relationship with you matters, and that you recognise the contributions they make, loyalty and engagement inevitably follow. Listening to your customers is also a great way to gather vital information that lets you understand how your customers really feel about the product or service you deliver. After all, the best business decisions are based off their data.

2. Deliver BEYOND customer expectations.
Know exactly what your customers’ expectations are. This means NOT settling for mediocre. Give them a WOW experience, every single time – so they’re not vulnerable to competitors and don’t jump ship the moment they find a product that is cheaper than yours.

One really important way to deliver beyond expectations is responding quickly. Every customer desires swift action, regardless of the situation, or who’s wrong or right. The speed with which you reply to a matter is a clear indicator of how much you care. Something as simple as a quick acknowledgment that someone’s begun the resolution process might be all it takes.

3. Understand their needs through data.
If you truly try to make experiences and interactions better for your customers, they WILL notice – and so, will you, as loyalty and engagement grows. Gather data applying to your customers and their interactions with you, and use it to better understand what they need. Understand them. Support their business needs through words, attitudes and most importantly, actions. This will show your customers that you truly care.

“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.”

4. Simplification is key.
The perspective of “simplification” can (and should) be applied to all processes and systems that support the customer experience journey. Making communication, products and services easier to understand not only reduces problems, it increases the likelihood of customers meeting their goals – if they meet their goals, then you will meet yours.

5. If it’s your fault, apologise. And mean it.
People make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. After all, companies are run by people too. And when customers get angry or upset, often a sincere apology can’t pacify them – as long as you back the apology up with action and resolve the issue.

6. Empower your team.
Empowering your employees means giving them the ability and freedom to go the extra mile to make customers happy. Train your teams to be able to identify and act on opportunities to enhance customer service at every turn.

7. Personalise interactions.
Did you know that using the appropriate salutation, e.g. ‘Mr’, and “their first name,” “a shortened version of their name,” or even “a nickname” can be so impactful? Make sure you’ve taken note of the preferred salutation and use it every time you interact with each and every customer. It creates a feeling of acknowledgment, a warm sense of familiarity and assures one that you’ve done your homework.

Many companies push their products, services and agendas on their customers. You shouldn’t.

With customer expectations changing at immense speeds it has become more important than ever to align what you offer to your customers’ needs. Only then will you be able to delight your customers.

A rule to remember: Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, and keep the ones you make.

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