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Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba
“Customer experience is one of the two core pillars of customer retention. The thing is, you can’t grow if your customers don’t stick around” – Jes Kirkwood
During tough economic times, it is important for companies to provide a consistent and rewarding customer experience.
Organisations must be proactive in their efforts to provide excellent customer service.
In Zimbabwe, during the hyperinflationary period around 2008, one mobile telecommunications company managed to weather the storm by simply focusing on customer experience and providing customer service.
Here are some ways companies can thrive during economic turmoil:
1. Treat customers with respect
Customers want to feel valued and appreciated. They do not want to be spoken down to or ignored. As an organisation, you must be transparent and let your customers know what is happening with your business and how it may affect them.
During a hyperinflationary period, for example, offer them solutions that help them to cope. Companies tend to deal with inflation by increasing prices, accepting smaller margins or reducing production costs, which often compromises quality. Instead, companies must use more strategic options, like changing their product mix or optimising their supply chain. They can also bundle or unbundle existing products to create new value propositions.
2. Be proactive in your communication with customers
Keep your customers informed about any changes that may affect them. Communicate regularly. For instance, an organisation can announce that pricing and its response to inflation will be the year’s top priorities. They can also deprioritise conflicting initiatives and consistently communicate the importance of day-to-day interactions with their sales and frontline sales. If companies work hard to address their customers’ problems, it helps in reducing customers’ effort levels.
3. Offer incentives to loyal customers
Offering incentives like discounts, loyalty programmes and rewards during challenging economic times is a great way to show your customers that you value their business. This can help retain customers and build brand loyalty.
4. Be responsive and helpful
Companies can become responsive and helpful by prioritising customer needs and concerns. They can also communicate with customers regularly and transparently about the impact of inflation on their business. It is prudent to ask customers what they want when trying to meet their needs.
5. Train your employees
Customers feel valued and appreciated when you provide excellent customer service. Therefore, companies should provide their employees with the necessary tools and resources to help customers. They can also train them on how to handle complaints and concerns from frustrated customers.
As a customer, if you are experiencing poor-quality service from a service provider during a challenging economic phase, here are some steps you can take:
i) Set standards
Setting standards can help you as a customer to define what you can expect from a service provider. For a company, allowing customers to set standards shows them that their satisfaction is the main priority of the business
ii) Communicate your expectations
As a customer, make sure your service providers understand what you expect from them. Outline your expectations clearly and make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable so that the service provider can meet them.
iii) Provide feedback
If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving, let your service provider know. If the service provider does not respond or address your concerns, you can file a complaint with the relevant regulatory authority.
iv)Consider switching
If your current service provider is not meeting your needs, it may be time to look for a new one. There is no point in sticking with a provider that does not give you satisfaction when there are others who can give you a better service. One must just consider the cost of switching and check if there are no penalties associated with it. If there are none or they are minimal, it would be wise to move on.
*Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer experience. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be reached at [email protected] or at 0712 979 461 or 0719 978 335
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu