If you are the owner of a business, you, of course, want it to have a welcoming reputation when it comes to customers. A business can offer the most fanciful product on the market, but unless it is marketed correctly, no one is going to buy it.
Marketing comes in many forms – print, digital and direct. Direct, or physical, marketing is often overlooked, especially as we move into the digital age where a one-man band operating from his parent’s basement could, with the right amount of digital marketing, be mistaken for a blue chip company.
Nothing quite beats the personal touch, even in 2018, and there are many things that you can do to ensure that your business retains a customer-friendly reputation. Here are four ways you make your business customer-friendly, given by Artificial Lawn Company.
People buy from people
Yes, even in the age of internet shopping, it still rings true that people buy from people – this is why social influencers have proven to be so popular. If your potential customer cannot relate a face to the business, whether it is the CEO or the cashier, your chances of conversion are seriously reduced.
Customer services are a prime example of this. If, when a customer contacts a helpline or logs on to an online chat, they expect to speak to an actual human being. While, from the business’ point-of-view this is a cost-saving measure, the money you lose out on could overshadow your initial savings.
Make your commercial space inviting
If your business premises regularly see customers visiting, especially commercial properties such as shops, regular upkeep is a must. As well as keeping your premises neat and tidy, installing new features that make your site more appealing and inviting should also be a priority.
Areas where customers can sit down and relax, make for ideal features in big shopping centres, while friendly service goes a long way too. There has also been a big trend in recent years of businesses installing artificial turf in commercial areas to add more natural colour to the premises.
Car park
This isn’t something that you might think of straight away, but have you ever been put off visiting a shop for the simple fact that there isn’t any parking? If so, then how many customers do you think you might have missed out on if your commercial space doesn’t have a car park?
It doesn’t bear thinking about, does it? If you are looking for new business space, ensuring that it comes with its car park should be unnegotiable. It’s not only customers that look for car parks, but members of staff, too – you wouldn’t want to lose a valuable member of staff to a direct competitor purely on the basis they don’t have to pay for parking, would you?
Hiring the right staff
Staying on the subject of staff, most of what makes any company customer-friendly is its staff. For example, at a restaurant the food might well be the best you have ever tasted, but if the waiting staff was rude all evening, would you consider eating there again? Probably not, although there are some restaurants whose USP’s is precisely that, and are proud of it.
Members of staff that come into contact with customers on a daily basis are the most important in any business as they are its face. Ensure that you hire the right people with a positive attitude that always aim to make the customer smile. Remember, people buy from people and that is never going to change.
Being customer-friendly doesn’t mean forcing an uncomfortably fake smile right in front of the customer’s face or constantly asking if they require any assistance, because that it is just annoying. By offering welcoming premises and employing friendly and helpful staff, your business will soon earn that positive reputation that you are searching for.
More on customer service and growing your business.
Follow Company Bug