As part of our Marketing in May webinar series, the Marketing department here at CompanyCam is contributing some fresh material to help guide you in your marketing efforts!
I know, it feels really obvious when you read it, but you’d be surprised how many companies bypass this holy-grail of operating a business.
Customers are not a means to an end, they are the end. Treating customers with kindness, doing little things to show your appreciation for their business, and periodically reaching back out will make a huge impact on how customers — and potential customers — view your company.
We here at CompanyCam don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk. We’ve been sending out t‑shrits, referral rewards, handwritten thank you notes, and more for years — and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
But it’s not all fun merch, surprise packages, and free shirts. We place a ton of value on customer feedback. We routinely reach out to folks and ask what we can improve on, if they’re satisfied with the product, what can we do to make their work easier, etc.
And you know what we do next? We use it! We take that customer feedback and we act on it. We are constantly making improvements to our product. We have changed how we educate and engage our customers, and so on.
So, how exactly do you “be nice to your customers”?
Ask for feedback
First and foremost, ask for feedback on each customers’ experience with your company! This is huge and goes a long way in ensuring long-term customer satisfaction.
Building in follow-up calls or emails to customers after your job is done is a good idea. You can gauge their satisfaction with your company, crews, and quality of work.
Satisfied customers will be excited to share more about their experience with you and your crews. And customers with complaints or small gripes will help you shape and improve your customer experience. It’s a win-win!
Another way to ask for feedback is asking for online reviews. Gathering online reviews will improve your online presence and allow feedback to out and the open — showing yourself as a trusted and transparent source.
Reward referrals
Happy customers refer tons of people! Here at CompanyCam we’ve implemented “mystery boxes” as a reward for folks who refer new users to us. The boxes round out to be a $50+ value and folks LOVE to receive them. But don’t worry, boxes full of goodies aren’t the only way to say ‘thanks’ to customers who send you new business.
Sending gift-cards, handwritten thank-you cards, or offering a special deal/discount are great ways to show your appreciation and keep that referral engine running! We know from experience that folks who are referred to your company by someone they know and trust are far more likely to become a customer themselves. So don’t be shy about rewarding referrals — it’ll pay you back handsomely.
Surprise and delight
This phrase was introduced to me by a fellow CompanyCamper and it perfectly captures the spirit of how CompanyCam treats our customers. We don’t make big splashy announcements about what we’re doing for our customers, but we frequently ship out loads of free t‑shirts, stickers, koozies, hats, and other merch to users just because.
Doing small things — like sending out a postcard, a free shirt, or something small from your company — makes an unbelievable difference in the way people view your business. It shows you’re thinking of your clients, appreciate their business, and enjoy working with them.
Being known as the company with the soft shirts, kind notes, or fun giveaways does your brand huge favors in the recognition department.
Doing great work is step #1. It’ll keep people coming in the door! But treating your customers exceptionally well — that’s what will keep them telling their friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors about you.
