Customer experience is one of those buzzwords that’s getting thrown around a lot these days, and there’s a good reason for that – the customer experience is something you as a business owner should be paying a lot more attention to. When done right, it can be one of the most powerful ways your company sells itself, whether through positive reviews or providing a fast and easy checkout experience’
There’s nothing worse than a bad customer experience. The way a consumer is treated and their interaction with your company will have a lasting impression. It doesn’t only affect existing customers, but also new customers.
In this blog, we will discuss 5 ways you can avoid giving an unpleasant customer experience.
1. Anticipate your customer’s needs and have solutions
Anticipating your customers’ needs allows you to ensure that the customer experience you provide exceeds their expectations. Understanding your customers’ needs is not only important for running a successful business, but it also means your company can continue to grow.
You might be wondering how you can anticipate your customers’ needs? Think about your customers for a moment. What is their customer journey? What are their interactions with you and your company? What will your customer expect? By considering these questions, you can determine what solutions you require.
To give you a headstart your customers will expect the following;
- Quick order processing.
- Simple payment. acceptance.
- A Memorable experience.
Research shows that 25% would only wait a maximum of two minutes, and 76% say stores should be doing more to reduce queues during busy periods. So let’s look at a solution for your order processing.
You will require a quick and easy ordering process. Something your customers will anticipate. When taking orders, advanced technology is required. Look into purchasing an EPOS (electronic point-of-sale) system. EPOS systems make it easier to take orders quickly, save time, manage inventory, access sales analytics, and many more features.
2. Quick easy payment processing
Another way to avoid a negative customer experience is to ensure that your payment processing is quick and seamless. When shopping, customers want to make their purchases as quickly and easily as possible. According to recent statistics, long queues are costing retailers up to £12 billion each year in potential sales losses.
Having a dependable card machine means more sales and satisfied customers. Your card machine should allow you to provide more payment options, such as allowing customers to pay with their own devices. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and so on. Customers will spend more money on your company if they can buy your products or services in multiple ways.
If your payment processing is seamless you will deliver value in every interaction with customers.
3. Simplify the online ordering experience for customers
Many of your customers will prefer to purchase your services online. Your online presence can also have an impact on poor customer experiences. Having a reliable online ordering system is ideal for avoiding any negative customer experiences.
For example, a customer is attempting to order their favourite meal but the online menu is confusing and difficult to read. Your customer then places an order from another restaurant instead of yours. This, not only, damages your sales but also your customer experience.
Consider your customer’s journey and the online ordering experience. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression, whether in person or online.
4. Create a compelling loyalty offer
Loyalty rewards and incentives have a positive impact on customers and their experience. Our contactless loyalty solution turns customer payment cards into loyalty cards. No extra cards for your customers to carry or your staff to process, resulting in fewer delays at the checkout.
According to a recent study, when given an unexpected gift, a positive charge is felt, and this sensation of joy is likely to have a significant impact on the subsequent choice. Making your customers feel valued through loyalty programmes will contribute to an incredible experience. There are so many successful businesses to compete with, you must ensure yours stands out. Make your customers feel like they are a part of a community, and they will return.
5. Understanding the customer requires staff training
Training your employees on how to interact with customers and use any new technology you implement is critical to ensuring a positive customer experience. The expectations of your customers must be met, and your employees must be friendly, helpful, transparent, and professional.
Even as we move into a more contactless and digital world, customers still want human interactions. By interacting with your customers, you will not only increase sales but also increase the likelihood of a return visitor.
If you purchase our EPOS, card machines, online ordering platform, or our contact loyalty solution, we will provide free staff training to ensure they understand how to use the products and influence the customer experience.
Conclusion
Customer experience is of the utmost importance to most businesses, and it should be because without it a company can fail. Following the tips above will help avoid giving unpleasant customer experiences and help you create friendly and happy customers.
Like what you’ve heard so far? Then get in touch
If we’ve piqued your interest, then get in touch. Take a look at some of our other blogs and case studies to see how we’ve assisted and supported a variety of businesses.
Please contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales reps if you are looking for EPOS, card machines, an online ordering platform, or our contact loyalty solution. If you’re ready to sign up today, fill out our form and get started on your motto journey.