Will customers pay more for outstanding service? You bet they will – and you might be surprised at how much more they’ll dish out to be wowed.
Customers are willing to go out of their way and pay almost 10% more for great customer service, an American Express study just found. And almost everyone (91%) considers the level of service they get when deciding on where to spend their money.
So the pressure’s on, contact center professionals. You want to turn up every experience a notch to make sure customers come back (especially if your company has or will soon raise prices).
Some ways to give customers a special experience:
- Use their names early and often. And share your first and last name. It’s a very simple way to build intimacy with customers on the phone and online.
- Give more lagniappe. It’s a small gift given to customers when they buy – think of the 13th doughnut given when you buy a dozen. It can be anything from a piece of advice – “You can enhance the experience if you check this web site before you go” – to an outright gift – “I’m going to send you a sample of our new product.”
- Remember them. When you start talking, say something like, “We’ve talked before, right?” If they say no, you can respond, “Well then, welcome to our company. I’m sure glad I can help you.” If they say yes, you can respond, “I knew I remembered you. I’m so glad you’re back.” Even better, mention something that came up in their last call, e-mail exchange or visit.
