Client Experience is Part of Your Brand
What response do you get when you ask a business owner, “What sets your company apart from the competition?” When you visit a competitor’s website, what do they claim gives them an advantage? The answer will nearly always revolve around client experience.
Let’s face it, client experience is incredibly important. I’ll be honest, the tone of my experience is often determined before I set foot in a store or other business. Have you ever had to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter a restaurant? Ever had to get a tire fixed after visiting a home improvement or hardware store? Have you ever driven past a business because of poor signage?
Let’s assume that you already deliver a product or service that you are proud of. It’s important to consider a customer’s path to purchase because that journey plays an essential part in client experience.
“A product can be quickly outdated, but a successful brand is timeless.” – Stephen King
For Ampersand, the first experience many people have with our team at a networking event. If this is something your company embraces (and you should) remember you ARE your brand! Carry yourself in a manner that reflects your company’s values and culture.
The same goes for encounters in your own place of business. When a client or potential client visits your office, make them feel welcome. I’m reminded of a meeting I once took with a financial planner. After being warmly greeted, we were lead into a nice, comfortable conference room. On the table sat a small menu like you might find at a fancy restaurant. It listed the types of soda and coffee that were available for guests. I still remember how that small detail made me feel, and it positioned the brand as inviting and considerate in my mind.
Companies who “get” client experience focus on the brand as a whole and not just the product or service they deliver.
Put your customers in a good mood right away, whether their first impression is a conversation at a networking event, a beverage menu in the conference room or a user-friendly website.
Another point to consider is that people often visit you online before you have the opportunity to meet them in person. Are you present and friendly on social media?
It is an excellent way for you to maintain a positive relationship with your clients even when you are not physically with them. For example, I follow an accounting firm on social media who often posts insightful quotes. I know what you might be thinking… lots of companies do that. You’re right, however this firm networks and brands itself so well that if you are a client as I am, you will smile because you actually know the person inside the firm that is responsible for posting those words of inspiration.
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own” -Henry Ford
How you dress, how easy you are to find, how your business smells, even the color paint you’ve chosen. It all feeds into client experience. Everything about you and your company… that’s an integral part of your brand, and everyone on the team is responsible for its maintenance!
