What little thing stands out about businesses you like to patronize? Do they make you feel special? Do they go out of their way for you?
People remember the craziest, most trivial stuff when it is associated with them feeling special. It stays with them longer than a simple, even very successful transaction. How do you make your customer feel this way?
It is not difficult, especially if you understand those emotional needs we keep referencing. After a while, it is second nature to know how to make a guest or customer feel like they got something more than others did. We have seen countless examples of people PAYING to get something others did not. If this was not true, we would not have had VIP sections at every live event I ever produced. People want to feel special and relevant, and you can do it without a VIP section. It was full of people that wanted to feel thy were part of something extraordinary and exclusive.
I know. Not everyone needs to feel elite. Some do, though. Trust me on this. I was part of so many events in Aspen, Colorado, I know there is a part of the population that wants to be treated exclusively. However, your customers don’t need an ice sculpture or unlimited cocktail shrimp. They just need to feel a little special. They need to feel appreciated, and you can do little things to make them feel like they are apart from the rest. It’s not that hard.
It can come in the form of something complimentary. It can be an extra doughnut. Free delivery. A piece of pie. Or a free month subscription. In this department, a little goes a long way, and what you do depends on a lot of things. It is more often the gesture than the item itself, and a customer will NEVER forget getting something free. Never. And if surprise them once in a while, they will keep coming back.
You don’t have to give material things away. You can:
- Give advice, tips, and professional insight to a customer that has them leaving feeling like an “insider” in your business.
- Making your interaction with the guest a little longer than you customarily do can help to let them know you truly care about them as a human, and not just a customer.
- You can invite them to a pre-sale event before the general public has the opportunity to see your new inventory or business.
- Let them in some background information about a product or service, or take them “behind the scenes”.
- Offer them something from another business you may have influence at, or trade with.
- Simply be there for them.
If you choose one special way to connect with each of your clients or guests, after a short time, this becomes a part of the way you deal with humans. And that is when the magic happens. When it becomes a part of the way you deal with every human you encounter, in or out of your business, customer service can save the world with. It can be done. It is not just a tag line.
Customer service can save the world.