Client satisfaction has always been one of the most important factors in the retail industry. After all, without customers, it can be hard to keep a business afloat, because customers and clients are generally the main sources of income for businesses, especially for retail businesses.
However, during the pandemic, businesses have realized that client satisfaction – for both new and existing clients or customers – has become more important than ever. Most businesses are struggling, so the best way for them to keep turning a profit is to know that they have loyal clients. To do this, they need to ensure that all customers are satisfied with their experience.
This will ensure that loyal customers will stay loyal and that new clients will likely make use of their services again in the future. We’ll be discussing a few key ways to ensure client satisfaction, especially during a pandemic.
Offer online shopping or services
While most businesses have realized that to remain successful, they need to have some form of an online presence, some businesses prefer to keep things old-school. This may have worked when people were still going out to shop, but now that people stay indoors most of the time, online shopping has become the go-to shopping method for most of these people.
This means having a website where potential clients can either purchase your business’s products, or they can consult with a professional. Many people shy away from the idea of creating an online store because they think it’s too hard. But in fact, you can create an online store without spending loads of time or money.
Improve your shipping
As mentioned, online shopping has become more popular than ever since the start of the pandemic, as most people prefer to do their shopping from the safety of their own homes.
This means that you need to make the shopping and shipping process as smooth as possible. If customers have a bad experience with your shipping process, they likely won’t support your business again, even if it’s not your fault.
You need to ensure that you work alongside a reliable company to give your customers the value they deserve. Have a look at a few different options, since many shipping and courier companies offer services that go above and beyond. For example, some may have same-day shipping, while others may be able to provide you with custom shipping boxes.
Show your appreciation
Many people have fallen on hard times and are struggling financially, so the fact that they keep supporting your business says a lot. You need to show them that you see and appreciate this. You can offer loyalty cards or have specials and deals that allow customers to save.
This is beneficial for the business as well as them, as it will encourage people to rather support your business instead of rival businesses, which will bring you more customers.
Be honest
One of the most important factors when it comes to ensuring client satisfaction is building a good two-way relationship with your clients. And, as with any relationship, this will require some level of openness and honesty.
We’re not telling you to share confidential information with your clients (please, don’t do that!), but if anything happening in the business will affect them, they have a right to know. This means that if something bad should happen – like having a positive Covid-19 case within the company – you need to tell clients about it, instead of attempting to hide it.
The truth will always come out, and, trust us, you’d much rather it come from you than the press. If you feel that getting the press involved is inevitable, we recommend writing a press release to ensure that all information is accurate.
Improve customer service
Of course, the best way to improve your client satisfaction is to improve your customer service, in all possible ways. Whether your clients are in-store, on the phone, or online, they need to feel seen and heard. Make sure that all employees are trained and know how to deal with customer complaints or difficult clients.
You also need to make sure that your business’s response time is fast. This means that call center agents need to answer the phone almost as soon as it starts ringing and that all emails or social media messages need to be responded to promptly.
Customer surveys
If your business is doing something wrong, you need to know, so that you can change it. Likewise, if your business is doing something right, it’s just as important to know, so that you can keep on doing that thing. But knowing what makes your clients happy or unhappy can be hard – you’re not a mind reader, after all.
So, the easiest way to gain this knowledge is to ask them. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by creating a survey to see how customers feel about certain aspects of your business – such as your products, services, website, or staff. Creating an online survey is the easiest and most effective way of doing this.
You can easily gather data about your clients’ opinions and then use said data to implement certain strategies for improvement.
Moreover, if you need to gather qualitative data from your customers, including their thoughts and opinions about your products, services, and the retail environment, then launching a questionnaire might also be beneficial. Questionnaires are a great way to gather rich and detailed data from customers and you can even offer a discount as an incentive for completing all of the questions.
Take the necessary safety precautions
Since we are amid a pandemic, going to any business is always a risk. You need to keep this in mind and make sure that you are taking the necessary safety precautions to keep you, your staff, and your customers as safe as possible and to hopefully prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Some customers may have comorbidities or other severe health problems and therefore won’t support a business if they feel like they are not taking the correct precautions. It is your responsibility to ensure that everyone in your business is wearing a mask and to provide sanitizer at the door.
You can also screen everyone entering the workplace by taking their temperature or asking them to fill in a questionnaire stating whether they have any symptoms of the Coronavirus.
