Education, resources, and the ability to research and review every product that is sold online or in stores has made customer satisfaction more difficult, but extremely necessary, in today’s digital society. In a world where most consumers, especially luxury consumers, expect instant gratification, they still value and demand a great customer experience, and if they don’t receive an experience up to their standard, you could bet your entire brand the world will hear about it.
Customer Service at Its Foundation
Shopping online has become an easy, accessible, and convenient experience for many people in the internet driven world we live in today. Because of the vast amount of online shopping happening every single day, companies can only expect more issues to arise. Whether you have a problem with shipping, being overcharged, or changing your mind about your purchase, most companies will quickly offer a refund or a gift card to provide instant rectification for the situation. With Yelp and website reviews becoming more popular, brands are understanding even more how crucial their customer service is, not only to solve an issue but to make sure the customer has less bad experiences from start to finish. Bad reviews can do a lot of damage for a company or product. Good reviews, whether online or by word of mouth, can change the future of a brand.
To breed consistent consumers, your customers have to be able to trust who and what they are investing in. If your reputation is questionable, they will also question whether or not to buy.
Want, Need, Purchase
Successful companies not only have impeccable customer service and great reputations, online and off, but they are also able to make their customers feel like they “need” a certain product. Furthermore, they know how to turn those needs into purchases.
Yuri Kruman for Forbes tells us, “To reach and engage a customer, brands must deliver one or some of the following: novelty, delight, a form of greater health or wealth, improvement in a business process through cost savings or time, increase in quality, organization or convenience, and/or a vision or mission that compels the customer to take action, whether in the form of a purchase or by gainful influence with others.”
With one on one customer interaction, you have a better opportunity to impact their desire. For example, when luxury real estate agent takes their client through potential homes, they need to be able to create a vision of the lifestyle they could have if they were to purchase the house. Customers want a personal connection and a reason to invest and it is up to the agent to provide that experience for them.
There are millions of great houses for sale, but the agent’s capability to equally provide a demand for the home and an outstanding customer experience will help it stand out from other luxury homes on the market.
It Is More Than Just Spending Money
Before social media and Google practically took over, people were more likely to choose something based on price, quality in terms of what the product is made of, how long will it last, etc. Now, more than ever, people will pay for the experience. It no longer benefits to be the cheapest, biggest, or newest “on the lot”. Speaking of on the lot, people searching to buy a house expect their real estate agent to tailor the homes to their needs and desires. People are more likely to pass up on the bells and whistles, for a home that feels personal and meets their top priorities.