Trust and the Customer Experience

The Customer Experience is important for many different reasons, however creating a positive experience requires complex analysis of all facets of your business, so where to start? Trust!

For consumers to commit to a purchase or transaction they first need to feel confident in the product or service and trust the brand behind it. Building this trust requires 4 key qualities that everyone within your organisation should follow.

Honesty

Pure and simple, honesty creates trust. This works for customers and employees. An honest work place breeds happy staff who then go on to provide top notch service. Honesty will promote a positive customer experience which lead to positive referrals and will shut down impatience whilst encouraging understanding during a more difficult situation. Honesty shows your customer that you respect them.

Transparency

Similar to honesty, transparency builds trust by instilling confidence in products or services. Without giving away all your trade secrets, sharing your processes, techniques or quirks with your customers goes a long way in building strong rapport. A well informed customer service team who are equipped to cope with a broad range of customer needs promotes a positive customer experience, especially if their questions or concerns are answered with confidence and sincerity.

Accountability

Everyone is entitled to make mistakes however the impact of a mistake on your business comes down to accountability. When a customer interaction doesn’t go according to plan it’s important not to shift blame or load up on excuses. You are more likely to retain your customer by taking accountability where appropriate and working together in finding a solution.

Empathy

Customer service can’t always deliver solutions but it can always deliver empathy. Regardless of whether or not the situation is positive or negative, it’s important to really listen to what your customer is saying, put yourself in their shoes and offer the understanding, even if you aren’t able to help. By being understanding and respectful of their position you allow your customer to feel valued.

As motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar so eloquently put it ‘if people like you they will listen to you, but if they TRUST you they’ll do business with you’.

Learn more about our AWESOME Customer Experience Program HERE