Unfortunately, many businesses still fall short when it comes to delivering an Ultimate Customer Experience®. Because of this, they not only suffer in terms of retaining customers, but they also lose out on the referral business that can group their company. I’ve been on a crusade for over two decades to move organizations to this high standard – yet the vast majority still are not hitting the target.

Even as businesses all over the world are currently spending billions on enhancing consumer experiences, there are still several reasons why this is the case.

The top four are as follows:

• Lack of training: Many team members are not properly trained on how to interact with customers. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and even anger.
• Automated systems: Automated systems can be helpful for simple tasks, but they can also be frustrating when customers need to speak to a human being. The challenge is that when it’s difficult to hire quality employees, and the cost of good team members has risen, more organizations are shifting to this approach.
• Long wait times: Customers do not have the luxury of waiting for hours on end. If they can’t obtain assistance right away, they’ll probably go somewhere else to do business. Wouldn’t you?
• Unhelpful employees: Some employees are simply not interested in providing good customer service. They may be rude, dismissive, or even incompetent. And some of younger generations may not expect the types of experiences we want them to deliver. We can’t presume our team can deliver an experience they cannot relate to receiving.

When customers have a bad experience, research shows that they are likely to take their business elsewhere – even if it’s only been a single negative encounter. They may also share their negative experience with others, whether in person with friends or online with the world, which can damage a company’s reputation.

What can businesses do to improve their customer experience? Here are four tips:

• Train your employees: Make sure your employees are properly trained on how to interact with customers. This includes teaching them how to be polite, helpful, and understanding.
• Use human beings: Don’t rely too heavily on automated systems. Customers appreciate being able to speak to a human being when they need help.
• Keep wait times short: Customers don’t have time to wait on hold for hours. If you can’t resolve an issue quickly, offer to call the customer back as soon as possible.
• Hire helpful employees: When hiring new employees, look for people who are friendly, patient, and eager to help.

In addition to the above, businesses can also improve their customer experience with these three steps:

• Making it easy for customers to do business with you: This includes having a clear and easy-to-use website, offering multiple ways to contact customer service, and providing clear and concise information about your products and services.
• Personalizing the customer experience: This means understanding your customers’ needs and preferences and tailoring your interactions with them accordingly. For example, you can use customer data to send personalized emails or offer special promotions.
• Going the extra mile: This means going above and beyond what is expected to make your customers happy. For example, you could offer a refund or replacement if a customer is not satisfied with their purchase, or you could send a handwritten thank-you note to a customer who has made a large purchase.
• By following these tips, businesses can improve their customer experience and boost their bottom line.

The goal of my forthcoming book, “The Ultimate Customer Experience® — Five Steps Everyone Must Know to Excite Your Customers, Engage Your Colleagues, and Enjoy Your Work,” is to provide in a concise and compelling form the primary steps that EVERY employee must integrate into every customer reaction.

One major automotive company just purchased over 1000 copies to present to frontline employees. This is the book that each team member should read to provide a baseline for every customer interaction.

“The Ultimate Customer Experience®” will be released in two weeks – but you can pre-order now! Go to https://UltimateCustomerExperience.com for all the information.