Pay close attention to what your customers do, don’t do, and when they do it. Acknowledge them and their habits. And then use what you learn to deliver on what they need even before they ever realize there is an issue.
When you are so tuned in that you are able to solve a problem your customers didn’t even know they were going to have, you become super valuable and poised to be in a position to delight them over time.
That’ll make them love you for sure!
Examples:
- A while back I had to stay at a Residence Inn hotel for a few months while my condo was being renovated. The hotel stay included a hot breakfast every morning. And every morning, I would go down, grab a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and raisins, and sit at the same table by the window (I’m a creature of habit!). One of the lovely chefs paid attention to my habits and one day brought me some granola bars he set aside just for me. He noticed that I “ate healthy,” so he wanted to make sure he gave me a “healthy snack” as a treat. I was delighted for the gift, and one that was fitting given my goals of trying to eat clean.
- Amazon.com watches what you buy and search for, and uses that information to make customized recommendations for other products they think you might enjoy.
Suggestions:
- Create a dashboard of things you’d like to start noticing about your customers behavior. It could be which days they purchase most frequently, what types of content is most popular with them, or what types of purchases they most frequently make.
- Use technology to help you keep track of the things your customers do over time. As your customer base gets bigger, it will become harder for you to keep all that information in your head. Tools like Google analytics can track behaviors on your website. Email marketing service providers can track how your customers interact with the emails you send. And there are other customer relationship management tools (CRM) that will help you take note of other details about your customers individually. For instance, you may want to note that the last time you talked to Mr. Johnson, he had a lot on his plate because his wife just had a new baby, at the same time he started a new job. With this information easily accessible next time you engage Mr. Johnson, you can use it to find a way to make life a little easier for him. At the very least, you can ask about how the baby is doing :).
Application for your business:
- Make a list of at least 3 things to start paying attention to for your customers.
- Identify 2 tools you will utilize to help you keep track of that information you learn from your customers.
