When you are running your business, you want to create the most exceptional experience for your customers so they will purchase more products and services over and over again. Yet how do you anticipate and recognize their needs? Conducting surveys and talking to them in person can open the doors of communication, yet you still have to determine what part of the conversation actually applies to your business and can be used to make improvements. Here are some key aspects to use to find out what you customers need from your business operations and how you can supply them with the products or services that will be desired.
Find the Right Means for Meaningful Dialogue
Sometimes you focus so much on one method to get customers to talk about their experiences, such as surveys, that we fail to create a meaningful conversation. You don’t want customers to simply run through a script of answers just to get the conversation done and over with as quickly as possible. You also don’t want to try to dictate the conversation to get the customers to say the answers you want to hear. Instead, take the time to really focus on what type of information you want to gather and allow the customer to express themselves fully in a way that is comfortable for them. Offer a wide range of methods so they can give information — reviews, feedback emails, social media and focus groups. This tactic will further entice customers to share their opinions.
Listen to the Customers
It is so easy to listen to the customer up to the point where you can interject yourself and turn the conversation into a sales pitch or a chance to highlight only the good side of a product or service. Yet at this stage of the process, you want the customer to do all the talking about their needs and desires. Avoid completely controlling the conversation to simply talk about your company. Instead, let the customer talk. Write a list of key elements you are looking for in their conversation, and when the customer broaches the topic, jot down their response without interrupting their chain of thought. When they are finished with their answer, then you can go back over your list of topics and ask for more clarity.
Ask the Appropriate Questions
Sometimes the easiest way we fail in getting the answers to find out what the customer wants and needs is that we don’t ask the right questions. Don’t simply walk into the question session without a clear objective on what type of information you are seeking from the customer. Ask questions concerning product prices versus the quality the customer looks for in the items they buy, what services a customer would expect to find in your particular business industry, and what qualities the competition has that the customer is attracted to and makes them buy other products.
Dive Deeper into Their Responses
Don’t just skim the surface of their answers to find out what the customer wants and needs in your products and services. Once you have a customer who is willing to really sit down and give their opinion of the products and services you provide, it is a lot easier to ask for additional information. Ask for greater clarity based on the answers they give and let them fully provide an answer. You can also ask if it is okay to call them back after they have received a product or service to find out whether their opinion has changed.
Narrow Down Products through Comparison Tactics
A great way of finding out if certain products fulfill a customer’s need is to compare several items at once. Let the customer explain what they like about the items, what they dislike, and what the customer would like to have that is not provided. Whether you are comparing your own product lines or what a competitor provides, this method allows you to pick the customer brain and target the specific qualities in the product that the customer wants and needs.
Gaining insightful feedback from your customers is incredibly valuable. We have a suite of customized call center services that can help you collect customer feedback and even develop rock-solid client relationships. Contact us today to learn more!
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