Connecting with Customers

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on August 14

How do you know what your customers say about your ability to deliver excellent customer service? How do you measure satisfaction? While the job of marketing and advertising is to bring more customers to your door, if you don’t have the processes in place to deliver excellent customer service and create advocates for your business from your current customer database, then there is no need to ask for more business from them or to even ask for referrals.

The best companies enjoy high levels of customer retention and are joined at the hip with the people with whom they do business. These companies measure the quality of the relationships at every point of contact.

The Spanish word "simpatico" does not translate perfectly into English. The closest would be the word empathy. But simpatico conveys the added flavor of interconnectedness or the importance of understanding and appreciating the other person’s perspective. The goal for connecting with customers is to create moments that are very "simpatico" at every point of interaction. If these moments can be maximized, the value of the interaction will deepen the relationship in a way that results in repeat business, referrals, and the development of a customer for life.

Charlie Fewell
President
Charlie Fewell & Associates
Memphis, Tenn.