Remember those days when good customer service was enough?
NOT ANY MORE!
In today's marketplace, especially within our industry, you must have GREAT customer service PLUS an exceptional EXPERIENCE to go along with it in order to retain your clients.
From the book, Mind Your X's and Y's by Lisa Johnson,
"Customers have so much choice that they're starting to pick brands and products (and develop loyalty) not just based on the traditional elements of service, price and quality, but also on the entire buying EXPERIENCE."
and Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com says, "Customer Experience is bigger than customer service."
So, what are some ways we can offer an exceptional customer experience?
First, let me tell you what I believe basic customer service as it lays the foundation of an exceptional experience...
ONE: Politeness, kindness, manners!
TWO: Timely phone call returns, email inquiries, or texts.
THREE: Knowing basic things about your client such as their names, kids' names, etc.
FOUR: Clean facility, well-stocked bathrooms, nice decor.
FIVE: On-time appointments.
SIX: Expertise in your field.
Now that we've laid down the foundation, we can add a grand experience on top of it. Here are just a few things we do...
ONE: We meet our clients at their cars to help them carry in their clothing.
TWO: If it's raining, we still meet them at their car with an umbrella to help them in.
THREE: We always offer chilled water or they can help themselves to a beverage in our refrigerator. We have found the client will not ask for a refreshment, thinking they are causing us too much work, so we simply have it handy for them every time.
FOUR: We have a Keurig coffee maker with an assortment of pods for those who prefer a hot drink. We always set drinks on napkins and have some very cute ones from a wedding printing supplier that has some fun facts about us on them.
FIVE: We not only make sure our facility is clean, but we also put out our iconic fragrance which is very light and refreshing.
SIX: Our facility is grand, well decorated and has plenty of seating.
SEVEN: We have soft music playing throughout and often will pair it with who we are photographing. (ie: lullaby music if we are photographing a baby or a new fave, cocomelon (on our Alexa) for toddlers) plus we have a waterfall for a super relaxing sound.
EIGHT: We prepare a gift bag for each child with crayons, coloring book, lip balm, Smarties, Goldfish crackers and a personal note card to welcome them to the studio.
NINE: We have touch locks on all doors that lead to our office and work areas...they are not the experience we want to offer:-)
TEN: We ALWAYS write a thank you handwritten note after every sale. I have other cards as well and often drop a note to a client just to say hi or check on them.
As for your facility, whether in your home or a retail location, here are some things to consider for a grand experience.
Things to consider...
-
Overall Style
-
Paint color
-
Floor material
-
Size and Shape of the room
-
Furnishings
-
How your work looks in the environment
-
Lighting
-
Perception you desire
This is your 1st impression-make it the BEST you can.
We always STAGE every appointment in order to max every touch and experience a client has with us, thus the importance of an "Appointment Only" business model.
0 Comments