5 Tips To Improve Customer Experience

Last year, when we launched our team building company HeyTaco!, my business partner Blake and I knew we wanted to build a customer first company. Both of us are inspired by the success stories of customer-centric companies like Costco, Zappos, and Trader Joe’s. We knew that putting customers first and a focus on customer experience would be the foundation of our business.

As the Chief Taco Officer at HeyTaco! (Yes, that’s my real title), I’m constantly obsessing over new ways to improve the customer experience.

Over the past year we’ve discovered five ways that help us create lasting relationships with our customers.

1.) Be Responsive

In the fast paced world we live in, customers expect quick responses. They don’t want to wait for answers. According to the 2017 Customer Service Benchmark Report by SuperOffice, the average response time to handle a customer service request is 15 hours.

At HeyTaco!, we’ve found that faster response times for our support tickets lead to higher customer success. We strive for immediate responses with same-day resolutions.

Quick Tip:

Email auto-responders are great for setting expectations when customers will hear back from you.

Below is an example of our auto-responder.

2.) Be Transparent

When we pull back the curtain of our company it shows that we too are humans and it helps us earn the trust of our customers and, in turn, improves our customers experience. By communicating openly and honestly we’re building deeper relationships. Our customers know why we built HeyTaco!, and the challenges we’ve faced building our company.

Quick Tip:

Share your intentions with your customers early and often. By doing so, you’ll open the door to feedback which can be critical for the success of your business.

Below is an example of how we’re transparent with our customers.

3.) Follow-up

Following up with our customers is another important way we’re building lasting relationships. Relationships don’t happen overnight, and that’s why we check in often with our customers.

Here are three examples of when we check in:

1. Team activity goes down
2. After trying new features
3. To just see how things are going

Quick Tip:

Set calendar reminders to remind you to follow up with customers.

4.) Know Your Customers

When we talk with our customers they’re always delighted to find that we’ve taken the time to learn about them. We enjoy learning about each new customer because it creates a personal connection. It makes us care more about their success and our product.

We use a CRM to keep track of information we’ve learned about customers and include emails and any support tickets. This helps paint a complete picture of each customer and improve our overall customer experience.

Quick Tip:

Ask your customers what they’re looking to achieve with your product. This will tell you if you’re the right solution for their needs, and if you’re reaching the right audience.

5.) Show Appreciation

Customers are the life blood of our business. Without them, we would not be able to live our dream of bringing people together. At HeyTaco! every new customer receives a handwritten thank-you card from us (pictured below).

With our thank-you cards we want customers to know three things:

1. They can contact us anytime for anything
2. We want advice for improving their experience
3. We appreciate their business and support

Conclusion

Creating lasting relationships with your customers is important, but you’ll also need a descent product or service that solves a problem. This, along with your purpose, is part of your brand, and success comes when customers fall in love with your brand.