4 Ways Your Business Can Make the Right Impression

What defines a positive customer experience? An overwhelming 80% of consumers agree that certain factors play a key role in shaping positive customer experience. These factors include swift service, convenience, expert assistance, and warm, friendly customer care. Surprisingly, advanced technology, loyalty programs, and personalised services take a back seat when it comes to defining a positive experience. It’s also a common sentiment among consumers that many businesses could do better in their customer experience initiatives.

If you’re striving to leave a lasting impact and create a positive impression, it’s crucial to align your approach with what customers genuinely value.

What do customers look for?

Swift service

The significance of fast service in customer interactions varies across industries, types of services, and business reputation. Nonetheless, prompt service universally contributes to a positive customer experience. Whether it involves placing an order, buying new clothes, or getting a vehicle repaired, the speed of each transaction influences customer satisfaction.

While the demand for fast service has traditionally been associated with younger generations, such as Millenials and Gen Z, it has not become a fundamental expectation for customers of all ages. Instant accessibility and quick delivery are paramount, especially in today’s fast-paced world.

When assessing the importance of speed in your business, consider these questions:

• How easy is it for customers to engage with your business?
• What is the speed of your response when it comes to customer inquiries?
• Have you set benchmarks for the speed you aim to achieve with each interaction, transaction, or repeat visit?

Speed can differentiate your business from competitors as customers are likely to choose and remain loyal to businesses that consistently offer fast service. This means that quick response times can be a key factor in attracting and retaining customers of all ages.

Convenience

Convenience is another factor that impacts customer experiences. Among all customers, 73% report convenience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions (behind price and product quality), with 57% stating they would pay more for greater convenience. This tells us that while convenience may not be the first thing on their minds, its absence can impact their decision-making process.

It’s essential to recognise and tackle the obstacles customers face throughout their journey with us. Let’s take medical billing as an example: a patient might have to deal with receiving an invoice by mail, making a phone payment, getting a follow-up email, and then confirming details on the mailed document. It’s eye-opening that almost half of all consumers are willing to pay more for increased convenience. So, the big question is: would a text message reminder or an online payment option make the process more effective? By thoroughly assessing and simplifying our processes, we can make significant improvements in our customers’ satisfaction.

• When exploring ways to enhance convenience in our business, we need to ponder the following questions:
• How many steps does it take for customers to obtain what they need from us?
• Is the customer experience fragmented, forcing them to switch between channels, from email to website to phone calls?
• Do we offer any features that genuinely enhance convenience for our customers?
• What are the obstacles in our customers’ journey, and how can we remove them to establish a smoother, more convenient experience?

Convenience is crucial to consumers as it saves them time, reduces effort, and simplifies their shopping experience. Emphasising convenience enables your business to stand out from the rest and promotes brand loyalty.

Expert assistance

When customers reach out with questions, they seek and deserve genuine, comprehensive support, regardless of the platform or context. This goes beyond product knowledge; it’s about fully grasping your customers’ needs. Understanding who your ideal customers are and what challenges they face is essential.

Your product or service offerings should be able to directly address their pain points, and your team should adeptly articulate the value that your brand brings to potential customers. Make sure your team is clear on who your customers are, what they need, and how they prefer to communicate about those needs.

To ensure that your team delivers expert assistance, consider the following questions:

• Do your employees genuinely grasp your customers’ needs?
• How does your business effectively tackle your audience’s challenges?
• What concrete value do your products or services offer to customers?
• How efficiently does your internal team communicate to ensure prompt responses to customer inquiries?

Embracing these insights will empower your team to provide quality support and foster long-lasting customer relationships.

Warm, friendly customer care

Maya Angelou’s timeless wisdom rings true: “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did; they will remember how you made them feel.” This powerful quote underscores the significance of friendly service in crafting unforgettable customer experiences. Standing out as a business starts with warm, friendly customer care—and there are several ways to make sure you get it right.

An outstanding example of prioritising customer service is the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, which empowers their employees to allocate up to $2,000 to address a poor customer experience. This emphasises the value of human connection in customer interactions and how adding a personal touch can make all the difference for your brand.

When you think about bolstering friendly service within your business, answer these questions:

• What proactive measures are in place to increase friendliness in every customer interaction?
• Do you empower your employees to tackle and resolve subpar customer experiences?
• How are you actively collecting data on customer experiences, and is your service perceived as genuinely warm and friendly by your customers?

Remember that the core components of a positive customer experience—efficiency, convenience, expertise, and of course, friendly service—are indispensable. By focusing on these foundational elements, you have the power to elevate your brand and leave a lasting positive impression on loyal customers and potential clients alike.

4 Ways Your Business Can Make a Lasting Impression on Customers

• Social media
• Google search
• Your website
• Purchase points

Read on to find out how you can stand out.

How can I make my business stand out in social media?

Nowadays, social media is often the first place where your customers will find your business. This also means social media is the platform where your business makes its first impression on potential customers. Before diving into every platform out there, figure out where your target audience prefers to engage. Concentrate your efforts on platforms that prioritise speed and convenience while facilitating meaningful conversations.

To make a good impression on social media, make it easy for users to connect with your brand. Research shows that for 89% of consumers, connecting with a brand on social media directly impacts long-term revenue. Hence, a prompt response to initial inquiries plays a significant role in winning over potential customers.

It’s no surprise that today’s prospects and customers expect quick and informative replies on social media platforms. For instance, 40% of shoppers expect brands to reply within an hour on social media, with 79% of consumers expecting a response within 24 hours.

• 64% of Twitter users expect a reply to an inquiry within an hour.
• 85% of Facebook users expect a reply within 6 hours.
• 77% of people won’t wait longer than 6 hours for an email reply.

Despite these clear expectations, many businesses still fall short. About 58% of customers who voice concerns on Twitter receive no response, and the average response time to complaints or comments is a lengthy nine hours.

Prioritising response times can truly set your business apart on social media. Quick, attentive responses contribute to a positive customer experience, even when addressing complaints or service issues.

Bonus tip for social media:

Leverage Facebook to gather reviews from satisfied customers. Reports have found that nearly 50% of consumers use Facebook to review or recommend a local business to their friends and family. Once a review is posted, it reaches all the reviewer’s connections, which significantly boosts your brand’s visibility on social media.

How to shine on social media:

• Identify preferred platforms. Gain insight into the platforms that your customers prefer and establish a presence there to connect and engage with them.

• Facilitate connections. Make it effortless for new and existing customers to engage with your brand by enabling direct messages, tags, and comments.

• Manage your account properly. Keep a close watch on your social media accounts and respond promptly to comments, questions, and complaints. Understand and adhere to customer expectations when it comes to response times on each platform.

• Create relatable content. Develop content that resonates with your audience by recognising and addressing their challenges and needs. Be aware of any holidays or events that relate to your brand.

• Understand the platform. Make use of any helpful tools to gain insight into your audience and to develop a well-thought-out hashtag strategy and posting schedule. Most platforms offer tools like reviews and store shopping built into their platform.

• Leverage user-generated content. Encourage your audience to share their own photos, videos, and experiences with your products or services. User-generated content will boost engagement and provide authentic testimonials that can build trust with potential customers.

• Run contests and giveaways. Host online contests or giveaways on your social media platforms to increase engagement and attract new followers. Make sure the rules are clear and the prizes are appealing to your audience. This strategy creates excitement and encourages more interaction with your brand.

By focusing on these strategies, your business can carve out a strong, unforgettable presence on social media, effectively engaging with customers and standing out from the competition.

How can I make my business stand out in Google Search results?

In the last two years, Google has seen an incredible 500% increase in “___ near me” searches. While it might not be practical to move your business right next to every potential customer, there are ways to ensure that customers can easily find you when using Google’s search engine.

When it comes to online interactions, convenience is key. More than 50% of consumers say that convenience influences their purchasing decisions. As one consumer aptly put it, “Our lives are becoming more hectic, and few people have the time to spend hours searching for specific items in stores.” Instead, people are turning to the internet, craving the simplicity of a few clicks to fulfil their needs.

As a business, it’s important to make it effortless for potential customers to discover you on Google. To increase your visibility, consider these simple steps:

• Claim and enhance your Google Business Profile.
  If you haven’t already added your business or claimed your listing, this is the starting point. Through verification, your listing becomes eligible to appear in search results on Google Search, Maps, and other Google services. Ensure that only key persons can access your listing by verifying the associated accounts via email, phone, or mail. This adds a layer of security to prevent unauthorised modifications to your business information.

• Keep your information up-to-date.
  Local search results place a premium on relevance, aiming to swiftly connect customers with what they need. Businesses that regularly update their information stand a better chance of appearing in search results. Take the time to complete all the details in your Google Business Profile, including your services, location, and operating hours. Accurate and thorough business hours, including any special hours, help maintain relevance.

  Verify that your physical address, business category, and phone number are correct and listed. For more comprehensive guidance on updating your Google listing, click here.

• Enhance your listing with photos and videos.
  Enhancing your business’s online presence is key to attracting potential customers. Listings with appealing visual content, such as photos and videos, are more likely to catch the attention of users using Google when they look for products or services. Visuals help tell the story of your business and reassure potential customers that they’ve found what they’re looking for.How to stand out in Google Search results:
  Pro Tips:
  
  • Showcase your brand. Incorporate your logo and a cover photo that represents your brand, reinforces your identity, and makes your business more recognisable.
  • Utilise videos as a marketing format. By incorporating videos into your listing, you distinguish your business from competitors and provide potential customers with a better understanding of your product offerings. Video content can boost consumers’ confidence in making a purchase.
    

  In addition to creating and posting engaging visual content, improve your listing to positively impact your search visibility. Standing out on Google search means your business will show up sooner or higher on the page in terms of the actual results. For local inquiries, the following factors affect search visibility:

  • Relevance: Keep your information updated, provide comprehensive details, and integrate relevant keywords in your description. This helps signal to Google how pertinent your business is to specific searches.
  • Distance: While physical proximity is beyond your control, it still helps to ensure your business address is accurate. This is crucial on your Google Business Profile when potential customers make “near me” searches.
  • Prominence: Your online presence and reputation significantly influence your prominence rating. Be sure to actively gather positive reviews to increase your business’s visibility in search results.
    
    Additionally, customer reviews should not be neglected. They’re not only useful for search results but also for the consumer’s decision-making process. When consumers search for a new business online, the majority read reviews to determine the quality of a business’s products and services. Encouraging and showcasing positive reviews can go a long way in fostering trust with prospective customers.

Tips for making your business stand out in Google Search results:

• Claim and optimise your Google Business profile. Ensure you have claimed your profile and optimise it to appear in search results.
• Keep your information—like business address, hours, and contact details—updated to increase your chances of appearing in relevant search results.
• Enhance listings with visual content—add high-quality, on-brand photos and visuals that provide customers with a clear view of your products and services, enhancing their overall experience and trust in your brand,
• Prioritise Google reviews and focus on collecting them to boost your prominence rating. Positive reviews will boost your search ranking and influence consumer purchase decisions.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively enhance your Google listing, boost your search visibility, and establish stronger credibility with potential customers.

How do I make my website stand out?

In today’s digital age, your business’s online presence is just as important as the physical storefront. Your website and online platforms should embody the same level of excellence and positivity that customers experience in person to effectively and seamlessly transition your business into the digital space.

It’s important to ask, is your online experience just as convenient and positive as your physical storefront? How do the two work together—your physical storefront and your website? And beyond that, does your mobile experience seamlessly transition to a desktop experience?

Consumers today believe that the transition from tablet to smartphone to desktop to human is a baseline expectation. Creating a consistently positive experience across all touchpoints is the key to making a lasting impression online.

As you harness the power of your online platforms, it’s essential to pay attention to response times. Many businesses miss out on potential sales leads due to delayed responses. Surprisingly, a large percentage of companies take too long to respond or even fail to respond at all. By improving response times, you can make a significant impact on customer satisfaction and sales generation.

Personalisation and friendliness also play a role in creating an inviting online atmosphere, as data shows that 100% of consumers want a friendly greeting. Adding a bit of warmth and personal touch will make your online visitors feel acknowledged and appreciated just like they would in person.

An effective and simple way to make your website stand out online is to add a web chat feature. Research shows that 41% of consumers expect to see a web chat feature when they visit a website and its inclusion can significantly boost conversion rates. This expectation is even higher when consumers are browsing on their mobile devices. Additionally, studies report a 30% boost to conversation when a live chat option is added to a website.

But what happens when the consumer can’t stick to their desktop and wait for their question to be answered? What if the answer will take longer to gather than seems reasonable for the visitor?

Be wary of adding the convenience of a web chat option unless you can truly offer a seamless transition from device to device. Integrate a solution that easily transitions from web chat to text conversation to avoid long wait times and create a consistent, engaging experience for your customers across all platforms.

Tips to make your website stand out:

• Respond to online leads promptly to keep potential customers engaged and interested.
• Prioritise consistency by making sure the transition from table to mobile, to desktop, and even to your physical storefront is smooth and uninterrupted.
• Welcome customers with relevant information and, if possible, offer a personalised greeting to make them feel valued.
• Add a web chat feature to your website and use a system that allows for a seamless transition from web chat to text messaging. This provides a convenient and knowledgeable service across different platforms.
• Optimise for SEO and utilise relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and high-quality content to improve visibility and rank higher in search results.
• Showcase customer reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility. Positive feedback can significantly influence potential customers’ decisions.

How to stand out during transaction touchpoints.

When it comes to making a purchase, customers crave fast service, convenience, expert assistance, and friendly service. Imagine getting what you want right when you need it, whether it’s an immediate service or same-day delivery. Considering shoppers are willing to pay extra for convenience, it highlights how valuable speed is.

Convenience, on the other hand, can mean different things to different people.The significance of convenience differs between online and in-person shopping experiences too. For online shoppers, convenience is absolutely vital right from the start of their journey, with most consumers abandoning a purchase if the process is overly inconvenient.

To boost convenience for your customers, consider providing detailed product or service information, offering online chat support for knowledgeable help and friendly service, and ensuring a seamless checkout process, such as pay via text options.

For in-store shoppers, convenience is paramount at the end of their journey—the checkout experience. Once they’ve made their selections, they want a hassle-free checkout. Quick, knowledgeable assistance and friendly service throughout the shopping experience can also greatly enhance customer satisfaction.

To excel in your industry, focus on removing barriers in the customer journey and providing quick, easy transaction opportunities in-store. By addressing these touchpoints, you can significantly enhance the overall customer experience and set your product or service apart from the competition.

To summarise:

• Offer some-day service or delivery to cater to customers who prioritise speed and convenience.
• Ensure your website is user-friendly, providing accurate and detailed information about your products and services.
• Integrate online web chat to assist with common, additional queries and provide knowledgeable help.
• Eliminate obstacles at the checkout stage by simplifying the payment process and providing several payment options.
• Train your staff to offer expert assistance and suggest relevant upsells to enhance the shopping experience further.

How do I make my business stand out and make the right impression?

In the exciting future of our economy, successful businesses will prioritise the key elements customers value most: speed, convenience, expertise, and friendly service. To truly stand out in the evolving marketplace, it’s essential to elevate the customer experience at every touchpoint, from the first introduction to the final transaction.

• Centralised communication: Manage all interactions from every social channel in a single inbox, ensuring timely responses and eliminating delays.
• Enhance online convenience: Use your Google Business Profile to connect with customers via text, adding a layer of convenience to their online search experience.
• Seamless transitions: Easily transition online web conversations to text, consolidating all communications into one inbox.
• Streamlined transactions: Offer seamless transaction experiences by speeding up purchases with convenient text payment options.

By embracing these strategies, businesses can meet and exceed customer expectations, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty in a competitive marketplace.

Press send and stand out with with Podium.

Podium offers an all-in-one platform of messaging tools for local businesses. From getting found online to winning repeat business, our platform adds speed and convenience to every critical customer interaction and makes it easy for your team to manage every interaction from a single inbox.

It’s the simplest way to connect to consumers by pressing send—talking to customers, collecting reviews, and gathering insights in real time through text.

• Press send to attract more leads with frictionless communication
• Press send to retain customers by providing a seamless, convenient customer experience to boost retention and satisfaction.
• Press send to save time by streamlining workflows and increasing efficiency for you and your team with modern communication tools.

To learn more about Podium and what we can offer to help your business grow and stand out in today’s competitive market, click here to watch our demo.