I am sure each one of you can recount an instance where you had a superb shopping experience. Now think back to a time where you were not treated correctly and you felt horrible making your purchase. As a business owner, you never want a client to have negative feelings associated with your brand. Creating a positive client experience creates customer loyalty which in turn creates repeat business and referrals. Since our inception, we have worked with all types of clients, and what we have learned is they all want the same thing – to have a pleasant experience while working with us. Here is what we have gathered from these experiences.  

The first rule in creating an unforgettable client experience is to put yourself in their shoes. Imagine for a moment that you hire us to build your company a new website, something that is completely foreign to you. Now imagine how it would feel if every time you tried to ask us a question we were short and rude. You may stop working with us because we are not making this already foreign process any easier, or you may stick it out but you would avoid telling people about our services, or even worse tell people how bad it was. By understanding that creating a website is already intimidating, we go out of our way to ensure the client’s questions are answered and they are aware of how the process works to ease any anxieties.

Pro Tip: What problem does your business solve? Then try to imagine what reservations or concerns a customer may have and work to create an experience that eases these anxieties.

Whether you are in the service industry or own a storefront, creating an unforgettable client experience is all about paying attention to the details. Everyone has stayed at a 3-star hotel, but you never remember that because there are no special details that make it worth remembering. On the other hand, a 5-star hotel thinks through every detail of the experience from the moment you step foot on their property. From the person greeting you, to personalized notes in your room, complimentary gifts, the list goes on. Think of your business in the same way. With so many options to choose from nowadays for any product or service, you want to ensure that your experience stands out. Sure you may be offering a comparable service or product to your competition, but you can get repeat business by thinking through the details of the experience. Going the extra mile will always set your business apart, and will almost always give you your return on investment.

Pro Tip: If you are a retail store consider the sights, smells, sounds and how it all plays into the shopping experience. Also, consider how your customer feels when they leave your store. If you are a service, consider getting branded materials to present to clients when they hire you. They won’t be expecting it and it will be a nice touch.

We are all human, and that means we are not perfect. We have all had bad days that we bring in to work with us and that is a big mistake. No matter how bad of a day you are having make a conscious effort to not let it affect your interactions with clients or customers. What usually happens is the customer thinks you are being rude to them, which could result in the loss of that sale, when in reality the way you were feeling had nothing to do with them at all. The reverse is also true, if a client comes in with short patience or a temper, don’t take it personally, you don’t know what happened before you had your encounter. So our general rule is just be nice. Don’t be fake, or sugar coat anything, just be genuine. The person on the other end will appreciate it and it will help create an unforgettable client experience.

Pro Tip: Find your “nice” tone within the company. For example, Chik-Fil-A employees are very kind, and so are Nordstrom employees, but your interactions with each company are completely different. Find what is genuine for your business and apply it to everything you do!