No matter what industry you’re in, if you sell things, or if you create value somehow for your clients or customers, then you know how important the experience of the interaction is for them. The difference between dealing with someone who is problem-oriented or solution-oriented; the difference between someone who smiles and is positive, or frowns and tells you there’s nothing you can do – those are the things that make or break a business.
So if you want to be on the successful side of that equation, you need to pay attention to the different between features and experiences, you should have a chat option available through your website, you want to think long-term during interactions, and you want to make mobile browsing work for the modern information-seeker.
The Difference Between Features and Experiences
It is a maxim of thought that relates to a businessperson that it’s not the features of a product or service that sells the item, it’s the experience they have at the source. In other words, your clients aren’t necessarily buying what you sell, so much as they’re buying you, the person who is selling it. This is a huge distinction to make early in your professional career, and one of the deciding factors in your overall success rate.
Have a Chat Available Online
One of the more intriguing personalization features that’s available for people with a website is the ability to install an online chat feature. Essentially, as soon as someone visits your site, a notification shows up that a real human is there to assist them, should they want any information. This is one of the single best ways to convert a question into a sale, and earn the trust of a new person immediately as well.
Think Long-Term
When it comes to customer satisfaction, research shows that long-term thinking is best. Short-term losses because you trust that your clients have legitimate issues with your service are no big deal, because you’ll earn the trust to have them come back. However, if you disregard their issues, not only will you lose their lifetime business, you’ll also lose their future recommendations.
Make Mobile Browsing Work
More people access website and information now via their mobile phones than they do on desktops and laptops. This is a huge factor to consider when you want to create good client experiences. Make sure your site is responsive, and that everything checks out on small screens with limited data transfer speeds.
Give Social Credit When Possible
If a client is willing to give you input about your business over social channels, then be sure to interact with them! Positive, public conversations are a huge way to get good, organic advertising for your brand.