In the past, companies would produce a product, pitch their marketing campaigns, and wait for the customers to start rolling in. This method worked successfully for many years but has greatly been phased out by a more customer-focused culture. Businesses realize and are publicly acknowledging that their customers are both knowledgeable and discerning when it comes to knowing what they want. Customers aren’t simply buying blindly. Instead, they are doing their own research and searching out the exact product and company they want to purchase from.
This type of customer requires a company to adjust its strategies to anticipate what a customer wants and how to deliver it in a way that enhances its value. This is where a customer-obsessed culture comes into play. Continue reading to find out what the customer-obsessed culture is, what steps your business can take to achieve it, and how it can benefit your business.
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What is the Customer-Obsessed Culture?
Businesses of all sizes want to provide a positive customer experience and endeavor to do so by focusing on the needs of their clients. However, a customer-obsessed culture entails more than just tailoring a product or service: It means revolving your entire business fully around your customers—considering the wants and feelings of your customers in every decision that is made about your company and the products or services you provide. Your business is built to serve the customer and will do whatever it can to deliver the best customer experience. As a result, by using this culture, you can build relationships of trust that last.
What is the Formula for a Successful Customer-Obsessed Culture?
The first step in creating a customer-obsessed culture in your company is cultivating the mindset necessary to truly prioritize your customers. A few qualities you can instill in each of your employees include:
- Respect: Take each customer’s concern seriously and give them the attention needed to resolve their situation.
- Empathy: Take the time to understand the customer’s issue and imagine how you would feel in their place.
- Honesty: Be as honest and as transparent as possible when communicating with each customer so they feel valued.
In addition to cultivating these qualities throughout your company, you can establish specific guidelines, such as the ones below, for each of your employees to follow to ensure your business is truly focusing on the needs of the customer.
Understand Your Customers
Understanding your customers’ needs, wants, and goals can help you position your company to gain and maintain its business. Research each issue that pops up, every positive and negative review, listen to the conversations of your customer service reps, note the results from marketing campaigns, and observe the interactions with customer-facing employees. Take the time to understand what each piece of data tells you and work to make the necessary changes to better align your business with the needs of your customer.
Train Your Employees
If you’re just starting a business, you have the ideal situation: to hand-pick—and train—your employees. You should look for those that exhibit the qualities you need to make your customer-obsessed culture a success. Build a team of people that will bring your vision to light while maintaining their focus on the needs of the customers.
If you are an established business that wants to move to a more customer-obsessed culture, then it is time to train and educate your employees on exactly what you expect from them going forward. Create guidelines for employees to follow, such as how long a customer should be left on hold or the time limit for returning a call. Training on communication is key to a positive customer experience, including changes in language, such as using “we” and “us,” instead of “me” or “I.” Also, educating your staff on how to anticipate the needs of customers and analyze the why behind each conversation can help them to be more successful in each of their interactions.
Lead By Example
You must take the lead in showing the desire to focus on your customers’ needs. Business no longer centers around what the executives want or which product is most profitable to the higher-ups. The customer-obsessed culture revolves around the customer. You should endeavor to show your employees that you understand what the people want and are willing to make the necessary adjustments to please them. If you’re treating your employees with respect, empathy, and honesty, they will work hard to treat the customers in the same way. Leading by example is key in building your customer-obsessed culture.
How Can a Customer-Obsessed Culture Benefit Your Business?
If a customer feels respected and valued, they will want to continue working with you. They will be more likely to recommend you to their friends and family and become a loyal customer with whom you can build a lasting relationship. This means consistent business for your company and perhaps an even more valuable asset: a good reputation.
Let your customers reach out to you at no charge with your vanity 800 phone number and give them the kind of quality service your company is proud to provide. For more insights into building a successful company focused on your customers, check out the 800.com blog.
