Average, mediocre and “look alike” customer service will not gain customer loyalty.

The new year is traditionally the time to re-focus and get serious about
goals. For customer loyalty, your customer experience better be at the top
of your goal list. Over the last few years, customers have made it clear
they want a relationship and a memorable experience.

Creating loyal, engaged customers is harder than ever. Here are strategies
to kick up your service experience.

1. Deliver service “their” way. Utilize many channels of access.
Customers want service on their terms and on their time-line. Access
means be available and responsive via a phone rep, your website,
email, Facebook, Twitter, live chat and even a phone app. Make
certain these make real connections and can create a relationship.

2. Be open and clear. You can’t hide from today’s customer. The
company must be transparent. With just a few clicks, the customer can
find out what others are saying about you. Join in the conversation on
Facebook and Twitter. Be fast, honest and responsive.

3. Be passionate. Engaged and passionate employees will create
customer loyalty. A 2009 research report by Gallup found that
companies in the upper half of both customer and employee
engagement got a 240% boost in bottom line results. Customers don’t
want dispassionate, robotic, scripted service delivery. Hire and train
well, then your employees can be “real” and sincere.

Add value and create an experience. In some cases that means just
make it simple. It means, captivate and fascinate. Do it all and
your customer will happily return and say positive things about you.
Value and a great experience are not new, yet many companies still
don’t get it. Be the company who does get it and executes accordingly.

Figuring out what customers want is not always easy. Yet not figuring it
out will affect your bottom line tremendously. It is time to re-focus and
renew your energy and efforts on the customer.