Focus on the Experience

Amazon, along with other big retailers, have leveled the playing field by commoditizing prices for products (and some services). If you want to buy a pocket calendar for next year, you get on Amazon, and it spits out all of the options, delivery timeframes, and prices for what you are looking for. The value we are receiving is mostly built into the product.

When you move out of the world of commoditization and begin making relationships with your clients, you will find the best way to accomplish this is to focus on the client experience. Some companies have been doing this for years, if not decades. Take high-end hotels and resorts like the Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons, for example. Their clients do not stay at those resorts because they are buying a hotel room. Instead, they are paying for an experience that will include excellent food and beverage, over-the-top amenities, and service standards that are always client-centric and focus on delighting their clients.

When you show that you care and offer your clients a solution that they find valuable, the client experience should be so good that, as Walt Disney shared, “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” You can create an environment that is so client-centric that clients can’t help but share it with others. Your marketing messaging, the attitude of you and your team, and your methods of communication can all set the expectation for a great experience.

In our current world of commoditizing most products and services, you and your team can often stand out just with the use of common courtesies (please, thank you, my pleasure, I’m sorry), by showing respect, appreciating your clients (especially your top 20% of clients), and by anticipating their needs. 

What are some of the key pillars of a great client experience? Here are some ideas:

• Learn client names and preferences. Have their order ready before they even enter the store.
• Offer a Welcome Gift for all new clients.
• Humanize your business with involvement in local charities and philanthropic efforts.
• Fix any challenges immediately when they arise.
• Don’t be difficult to communicate with.
• Accept constructive criticism openly, understanding it is an opportunity to improve.
• Always look for the next WOW you can deliver to your clients.
• Always ask about the next service or solution you can provide your clients.

Put together a plan for 2023 to up-level your Clients’ Experience with your company. It is the best way to create loyal relationships that will last for years!

Have a great week!

-Dave