When it comes to being customer focused the challenge that businesses face is trying to put the customer at the heart of everything they do.  From the initial contact a customer makes, whether it’s walking into a shop for the first time, the service they receive during the buying process, as well as their online experience, it’s the whole experience from start to finish that stays with them.

Whether you are offering a physical product or service the treatment of your customers is crucial to embedding a great and lasting impression.  You want them to buy from you again and again, and most of all you want them to talk about you – in a good way!  This road to success however shouldn’t solely focus on your customers.

What about your employees?
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Have you ever asked yourself if the experience you offer your employees is aligned with the customer experience you have worked so hard to create?  It’s all very well having fine-tuned sales processes and procedures to ensure everything is customer centric, but your employees need to be onboard too.  They are your ambassadors after all.  Now, I’m not saying that you suddenly need to roll out the red carpet, implement a profit share scheme or offer extended lunch breaks and half days but there’s lots of areas you can focus on…without breaking the bank!  It’s obvious that if employees are nurtured and understand your business aims then they will help you on the road to customer centric success.  This in turn grows both customer and staff loyalty - it’s a win, win process that you’ll love!

If customer and employee experience isn’t on your radar, then how will you ever achieve your aspirations to grow and build the brilliant brand that you’ve worked so hard to get off the ground?  Most importantly, how will you stand out from your competitors? 
We’re working with lots of clients to help them focus on their customer and employee experience.  If this is something we can support you with then have a look at www.zestconsultancy.co.uk, call us on 02380 001420 or ping us an email on [email protected].

Guest post by Nicky Rudd, Padua Communications

When planning the content you are creating for a brand, it’s important to mix up the channels you use to distribute it. Everyone researches differently, and to entice an interested party to become a long-term customer, they need to feel there is consistency and authenticity in that communication.
 
If a brand’s message is confusing, disingenuous or inconsistent, it stops people from becoming long-term customers. In a recent Salesforce survey, 63% of people said they have engaged with disappointing brand content with 23% saying they wouldn’t engage with the brand after that. 80% of respondents cited ‘authenticity of content’ as the main factor as to whether or not they follow a brand.
 
One of my favourite images is a graphical representation of the flight of the bumble bee and this is one image I have in mind when thinking about prospecting customers. They might find me on Twitter, visit the website, read a blog, watch a video and then decide to call. But their path is anything but straight and, wherever they land, there needs to be a consistent brand and tone of voice. Otherwise, it’s confusing and they will be put off.
 
When you decide to review your content plan, ask yourself how your target customers might view your content and what they really want from it. Put them first and consider what they will find useful.
 
Even better, ask them directly – but remember, the customer journey is rarely a straight line. Ultimately, remember what you are really looking to do is to build trust and consistency by publishing relevant and helpful information. Be clever with your content planning to ensure you are visible on different marketing channels, but make sure it’s consistent.

If you’re not sure how to do this, give Padua Communications a call on 0203 282 7570 or email [email protected]

​Everyone loves happy customers - That's why Zest Consultancy and Padua Communications have teamed up to bring you a series of events so you can benefit from expert advice and guidance explaining why content matters and how customer experience can have a positive impact on your business. Click here to find out more and reserve your place - places are limited so don't miss out!

At Zest Consultancy, one of the most frequently asked questions from our SME clients is, “how can we stand out from our competitors?” The answer is pretty simple really: it’s about how you make your customers feel. You need to give them a customer experience that makes them want to come back time and time again.

Being externally focused
Here is a question for you to think about, “if being customer focused increases turnover and helps businesses achieve loyal customers and employees, why isn’t everyone doing it?” We think the simple reason is that businesses aren’t really sure where to start. They think it takes lots of time and money. The reality is that this is simply not the case. You just need to change the way you think: be less internally focused and more externally focused.

Mapping the customer journey
Try walking in your customer’s shoes, in order to understand their journey. Then ask yourself this question, “how easy are we to do business with?” If the reality is that you aren’t easy to do business with, then re-evaluate your customer journey. Get all the departments involved. Work collaboratively to come up with a better customer journey that has multiple ‘customer touchpoints’ along the way.

What do we mean by ‘customer touchpoints’?  It’s simple really, take a look at the number of times throughout the customer journey that you have actual contact with the customer, either by phone, email, face to face meetings or, even, any marketing collateral. These are all customer touchpoints. Ask yourself: Are there enough? Are they appropriate? How do they add value to the customer experience? And what could you do differently to enhance the  experience? It doesn’t have to involve big changes. Sometimes, it’s the small things that can have a significant difference.
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Importantly, don’t forget to keep the customer at the forefront of your mind throughout this process. Remember it is all about being more externally focused.
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This is just one simple step that can help make customer experience your differentiator.
If you are interested in hearing more simple customer experience tips, then contact! www.zestconsultancy.co.uk  or [email protected]

At Zest Consultancy, we work with many SME businesses, throughout the UK, helping them to be the very best version of themselves.
Why do we do this? Well, it’s all about your customers. We want your clients to have the very best experience; you know, something that’s memorable, that’s goes the extra mile. Why? Because the end result is that it will help you grow your business.
Customers engaged with head and heart
A good customer experience is very important. People who are engaged with your business, with both their head and their heart, develop a loyalty to you. They are more likely to repeat purchase or, even better, buy additional products or services from you. Furthermore, because of the great experience they have, they are also more likely to refer other people to your business. Basically, that counts as some free marketing, now who doesn’t want some of that?!
Loyal customers give you feedback
Another big advantage of top customer experience is the opportunity to get feedback. Because loyal customers want to do business with you, they are more likely to tell you constructively when you’re getting it wrong. They want to work with the very best version of your company. This gives you the chance to shape the business based on the voice of the customer; a really unique opportunity.
How to improve your customer’s experience
Now we’ve highlighted the huge advantages to offering a good customer experience, would you like to know more? If you want to learn some simple tips on how you can improve your customer experience and make it your differentiator to grow your business, in a highly competitive environment, then contact us at [email protected]. or watch out for more on this very topic at www.zestconsultancy.co.uk

 

Happy employees = Happy customers
Value your employees and treat them well, the level of their job satisfaction can significantly impact the service they offer your customers. You’ll be amazed how even the smallest of gestures can go a long way to increasing staff morale and remember happy employees means happy customers [KL1] [KD2] [KD3] 
 
Listen to your employees. They work at the heart of your business so they are in the best position to identify areas that need a little tweaking. If we had a pound for every employee that says communication could be better in their company, we’d be pretty rich by now!
 
So, come on, set up those team huddles, send out regular weekly emails, maybe even a podcast or two. Why not step it up a gear and create your own private YouTube channel for employees to listen to company updates? Remember, everyone likes to learn in different ways, so giving them options means you are more likely to be heard.
Studies show that a happy work force has a positive impact on your customers’ experience, so what are you waiting for?
 
How easy are you to do business with?
How many times have you heard or even said yourself, “I love the company, I just wish they didn’t make it so hard to do business with them?”  Pull your team together and map out your customer journey. Be critical! Ask yourselves: how customer focused are we? Are we easy to do business with? [KL4] By taking a closer look at the customer touchpoints throughout the journey, you’ll be able to see where you can make improvements and make doing business with you that little bit easier for your customers.
 
 
Get the team involved
Yes, it’s important that the MD has bought into the initiatives to improve customer services, but actually, everyone plays a part in the customer journey, and, ultimately, the overall experience the customer has. Getting teams working collaboratively is way more effective. It also improves the overall customer experience, than those teams that work in silos. Nominate champions within each area of the business and let them work collaboratively to review customer issues and touchpoints and then suggest solutions to improve your customers’ experience.
 
Don’t make assumptions about your customers
There’s an easy way to understand what your customers want from your product or service – ask them! Completing yearly relationship surveys with your clients will help you shape the future of your business, based on the “voice of the customer”. This can be done by several methods: emails, telephone, SMS or face to face. Work out which method is right for your business and give it a go. Make sure you have defined objectives of what you want to achieve before putting the questions together, and then take that step forward and get to know your customers better.
 
Like what you’ve read…well we have a lot more tips and suggestion for you, so get in touch! Please call 02380001421 or email: [email protected]
Visit us at www.zestconsultancy.co.uk  or follow us : @ZestConsultancy #loveyourcustomers
 

 

It can sometimes feel like good customer service is a thing of the past! And yet, it doesn’t take much! A smile, a little focussed attention and a “have a good day” as a goodbye from a member of staff, is probably enough when grabbing a quick coffee or popping into a shop. However, when these little things are missing it can really affect your mood and importantly your view of the business.
A good customer experience is even more important now than a few years ago, as in many areas of business, there is so much more choice. It is easy to go to a competitor just down the road or across the street, especially for a coffee or some lunch!

What does good customer service look like?
Have a think about what good customer service looks like to you?
Here at Zest, we believe it is part of our job to make our client’s day a little easier or simply more enjoyable. This might include a friendly chat, a little banter, or simply enquiring after a client’s well- being. We like to focus on the person and not just the business. Furthermore, it certainly makes the day go much faster if you are enjoying the company of the person you are working with or talking to and, in turn, ultimately creates a good customer experience whilst doing so. Importantly, happy customers are easier to build relationships with and will help grow your business.

First impressions
A first impression is a key tool for yourself and your business and it really does count. The way we look, the way we talk, the way we present ourselves is such an important part of our business.
Without realising it, within moments, the person we are introducing ourselves to has probably already decided if they like us and are interested to hear more. So, take a critical view of your business and what first impressions you are making on your customers? This could include how your staff answer the phone; how your shop or office looks to your clients; or how your staff are dressed? There are a great number of things which give off a ‘first impression’ and you need to make sure this is the right image for your business.

Just add Zest
A large part of getting first impressions right and offering a good customer experience is understanding your customers and what they want. It is pivotal to business success. At Zest, we help you to interact with and listen to your customers. We get to understand their motivations and their needs and can help to map out the customer journey, looking at all the touch points with your business along the way. Zest will implement a customer experience programme which is responsive, flexible and tailored to your needs.
Interested to learn more? Call us on: 02380001421 or email: [email protected]
Visit us at www.zestconsultancy.co.uk  or follow us: @ZestConsultancy #loveyourcustomers

If you’re a business owner or an entrepreneur, you’ll understand that your customer is king. But, how do you win customers and, most importantly, keep their business in the long term?
 
In this blog, I’ll be sharing some of the insights I’ve learnt during my 25-year career in sales and looking at companies that are at the top of their game with exceeding customer expectations.
 
Go that extra mile
In the corporate world, being ‘customer centric’ is not just about running a customer survey. The customer experience needs to be part of your business DNA as it’s critical to your revenue and future growth.
 
When I speak at business events, I often tell the following story. Some years ago, a family staying at the Ritz-Carlton in Florida returned home to find that their little boy had left his much-loved toy giraffe ‘Joshie’ behind. Mum phoned the hotel desperate to track him down. Not only did the hotel team locate Joshie, they returned him complete with a photo album of snaps showing the giraffe enjoying his holiday – much to the delight of the little boy. The story, and photos, garnered almost 4,000 views on YouTube, 12,000 likes on Facebook and nearly 5,000 tweets, generating fantastic PR for the hotel.
 
The Ritz-Carlton team went above and beyond expectations to deliver outstanding customer service that had a real impact, setting the chain apart from its competitors and delivering a memorable experience. Standing out from the crowd and delivering a fantastic experience is just as important whether you’re running a large chain of luxury hotels or an SME. If you want to grow as a business, you need to make your customers feel special.
 
Get under the skin of your customers
Understanding your customers and finding out what makes them tick is crucial. Think strategically and consider what’s important to them now and in the future. McDonald’s is a great example of this. From a company that offered just ‘burgers and fries’ back in the 80s, McDonald’s listened to its customers and has broadened its offering to include healthy eating options, kids’ menus, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi and more. The chain is even piloting a takeaway delivery service in the UK. Crucially, McDonald’s understands the importance of listening to the voice of the customer in shaping its future business strategy.
 
Listen to your customers
Of course, customer surveys can provide some valuable information. You can gauge customer feedback online, by phone or email – from quick pulse surveys through to longer-term relationship surveys. Email surveys tend to have relatively low response rates as customers are bombarded with similar requests. Telephone surveys often have the highest response rates. Decide which approach will work better for your organisation.
 
And remember, it’s not just about what matters to your customers; you also need to listen to your employees. Survey your people and find out what they are saying about the business to their friends and families. Look at how internal training and coaching can be improved and turn your employees into brand champions. Happy employees lead to happy customers.
 
Old Mutual Wealth – an award-winning customer experience
One company that has put this learning into practice is Old Mutual Wealth. In 2016, I was a judge at both the UK Customer Experience and Employee Experience Awards, where the team won accolades in multiple categories.
 
Christina Dolding, Head of Customer Experience at Old Mutual Wealth, and her team have worked tirelessly to deliver change within the company over the past seven years. Back in 2010, customer satisfaction was in negative figures whereas now it is at an all-time high…and earning industry awards.
 
Christina talks candidly and passionately about how, at the start of the process, customer feedback was not always acted upon in a consistent way. To address this, the team implemented a multitude of activities, from monthly podcasts (with real customer feedback) through to customer focus groups and a ‘triage’ team to help better understand customers’ issues and resolve any problems more quickly and effectively. They also shared this information with the wider business units to help develop future service offerings.
 
“We’ve had to take some bold decisions and work within a very limited budget, which has been a challenge at times,” says Christina. “However, over time, these projects have led to a dramatic increase in customer satisfaction scores – testament to the hard work of the team.”
 
One such project is ‘Magical Moments’, which gives employees the chance to surprise their customers with something special that is directly linked to their reason for getting in touch with Old Mutual Wealth. ‘Magical Moments’ empowers employees to listen to the customer properly and then really take an interest in their lives. Armed with this information, they then do something unexpected to create a moment of joy. This has included surprising a customer who was dealing with a life-threatening illness with their food shop and sending a very special gift to mark an important life event.
 
“The response from customers has been phenomenal,” says Christina. “We’ve had customers on the phone in tears because they’re so touched by the gifts. It also gives employees the chance to better understand our customers and connect with them on a personal level.”
 
See your business through your customers’ eyes
The team at Old Mutual Wealth places great importance on seeing things from the customer’s perspective and this is often where other businesses go wrong. In my view, it’s vital to see things through your customers’ eyes and provide an end-to-end service that’s consistent from the moment a customer lands on your website or walks into your office for the first time. As I mentioned at the start, it’s about far more than just customer surveys. Your customers need to have a great experience from start to finish, no matter where they come into contact with your business.
 
You may well have to challenge traditional assumptions and ways of working. But, if you want to build a sustainable future and keep your customers for the long term, you need to be bold in looking critically at your business and seeing what you can do better.
 
Kristy Davies-Sumpter
Kristy has built a highly successful career in sales over the past 25 years and worked for some of the biggest names in the hospitality and technology industries. She is MD of Zest Consultancy, which helps companies of all shapes and sizes to win new business and improve their customer experience. Kristy is also a judge at the UK Customer Experience and Employee Experience Awards. To find out how Zest can help you win new business, visit www.zestconsultancy.co.uk or call 02380 001421

Customer loyalty has become increasingly hard for businesses to maintain, with competition growing at a rapid pace creating a price driven environment, increasingly low staff retention and the development and worldwide impact of social media everyone has a voice and opinion that they want to share.

In order to develop customer loyalty you business needs to be customer focused, following the “Golden Rule” of the customer is king. Listening to the voice of the customer has become a key driver for businesses that are customer focused and want  to build profitable growth through loyal customer.

It has been identified that loyal customers demonstrate 3 behaviours that drive business growth, they are; repeat purchase, buy additional lines or services and refer you.

If you stop and honestly review your business, how regularly do you listen to the voice of your customers?