First impressions can last a lifetime. They can define the foundation of any relationship, be it personal or professional. As a business, you want to ensure that your customers get a great first and lasting impression of your brand and products. This way, you encourage brand loyalty and customer retention and you can attract more new customers each day. A key way to do this is to put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Customers are the lifesavers of the business world. For a business to succeed, it needs to exceed the expectations of its customers. Exceeding customer expectations will allow your business to gain loyal customers rather than lose them to your competition.
There’s a famous saying that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Your customers will remember your business’s first impression throughout their shopping and customer journey. One bad experience is like a memory that never leaves the mind of the customer. Any time an unhappy customer thinks of a brand that gave them a bad experience; they will associate that memory with that brand. Bad experiences spread like wildfire. They give customers something to talk about with their friends and family, not to mention an excuse to write a bad review on social media. This results in the business having a bad reputation through word-of-mouth and online.
This blog will walk through five tips and tricks that could help you make the best first impression with your customers so that they stay loyal to your business and its products.
Greet Your Customer with a Smile
A smile can go a long way. A smile shows that you care and that you want to make an effort to gain business. According to Business Insider, “Facial expressions are very important when it comes to making a good first impression.” A person’s smile is the most memorable feature during a face-to-face interaction. Putting on a fake smile shows indifference and a slight attitude towards the customer. Bringing genuine positive energy to interactions with customers is vital to give them a first great impression of your business. They’re likely to remember the facial expressions of the people working at your business and carry that impact of positivity forward in their relationship with your business.
Never Ignore a Customer
Ignoring a customer is the biggest way to lose business. Customers need to feel appreciated and validated. You want your brand to stay alive as long as possible. That means having a stable relationship with customers. One way to do this is to listen to your customers. We’ve all heard the saying that “the customer is always right.” Customer feedback, whether positive or negative, should be graciously accepted. Asking for feedback shows the willingness and initiative to improve your brand. There is always room for improvement for any brand. This will allow you to further understand and get to know your customers. Customer feedback is not always reliable if you ask them for it in person because customers may not want to be totally transparent during a face-to-face interaction. Asking for feedback through an online survey will give you a better chance to discover how they really feel about your product because it gives the customer a chance to freely express themselves.
Dress Appropriately
The saying goes, “you are what you wear.” As a business owner, you’re expected to look your professional best in front of your customer so that your reputation doesn’t get affected. You are expected to be aware, alert, and poised with your behavior. While it is important to look your best, it is also important to dress the part according to the customer you are meeting with.
Be Patient
Patience is a virtue that is imperative for customer interactions. Not all customers would understand your brand and products on the first go. As a business owner, you should be prepared to answer all their questions. Some questions could be about your brand terminology or about how the business got its start. Some questions may not be appropriate at all. But the right thing to do is to patiently handle the situation. Patience helps you figure out your customers’ expectations and desires and allows you to build a lasting relationship with them. Rather than rushing any customer interaction, patience helps you build a foundation for a stable relationship with both old and new customers.
Be the Expert
When a new customer encounters an unfamiliar business, they want to learn more about it. For example, when a customer visits a bank seeking to create a new savings account, they would want to be aware of all the benefits and consequences that come with it. They would want to know the minimum account balance to be retained, any penalty charges,…etc. When you educate a customer on how your business can help and support them, they appreciate the engagement and information provided, which will result in a stable relationship between them and your business.
Building Customer Engagement From the First Impression with PxidaCX
Keeping customers satisfied is a leading indicator in terms of how well a business and its products are doing. With a feedback platform like PxidaCX, survey response data helps measure customer loyalty, identify unhappy customers, and attract new customers in a competitive business environment. Customers that give high ratings on a product are more likely to recommend it to others as well as purchase it again, whereas low ratings result in the opposite. PxidaCX is the perfect tool for your business in terms of understanding how to retain and engage customers with your brand and its products. Check it out now!