4 Tips for Getting to Know Your Customers Better
If you truly know your customers, you’ll be able to provide them with better service because you understand what they need and want from you. You can also make informed business decisions based on their feedback, instead of trying to guess your next move. If you’ve made it a goal to learn about and from your clients this year, check out these four ways to do it.
1. Ask questions
The best way to get to know anyone is to ask them questions. The next time you or your staff are talking to a customer, don’t be afraid to ask them more about themselves, within reason. You’ll be able to find out information that’s relevant to your business, like how they heard about you or what pain points they’re currently experiencing that you may be able to fix. Besides getting to know them better, you might find a way that you can help them at that moment, which will increase their trust in you and show your committment to exceptional customer service.
2. Send surveys
Surveys are a great way to reach out to your customers, even when you’re not in an active conversation with them. You can use free tools, like SurveyMonkey, to create the surveys. You might consider asking questions about their shopping habits, their experiences with your business, or why they chose you over a competitor.
If you’re worried that you won’t get many responses, you can consider offering an incentive for submitting the survey, such as an exclusive discount or the chance to win a gift card.
3. Engage with your community
A great way to get to know your customers is to spend time in the places they spend time. This is especially true for small businesses, as they are often engaged members of their community. If your customers are members of a specific group on social media, you can join it and pay attention to the conversations they’re having. Go to events, like concerts or fundraisers, that your patrons frequent. By attending these events and being an active participant in your community, you’ll be able to find out what’s important to them, create stronger relationships with them, and give them the service and products they’re looking for.
4. Learn from your reviews
A review of your small business can tell you a lot about your clients. If a customer writes a good review, pay attention to what you’re doing right because it might not always be what you think it is. Bad reviews can tell you what you can do better when it comes to providing what your shoppers what or need. When you act on your patrons’ feedback and address their problems, you can help build customer loyalty and streamline your business to better fit their needs. Learn more about how to build customer loyalty.
