Should customers accept less than great customer experiences because of #Covid-19?

I recently read an Open Table article that stated customers should be tipping more and expecting a less than quality experience in light of the changes/challenges with Covid-19. As a customer experience consultant I beg to differ. Open Table suggested tipping over 20% even when the quality of service or product is inadequate. WHY should a customer tip more now than they did before Covid-19? This is the time for every business to shine, to show why you are the go-to business in your industry! If your business isn’t concerned about giving quality experiences now WHY would a customer return? Some businesses have suffered more than others especially the hospitality industry, but WHY should a customer accept poor quality food, product or service ever?

There are a lot of ways you can make sure your restaurant, hotel or business is still giving the experience your customers deserve so they return in the future. It’s about turning a one time transaction into a recurring and loyal relationship. Here are a few tips to creating an experience your customer will ensure a return visit:

• Ensure you are taking every precaution to maintain safe and clean facilities and make it obvious this is important to you!
• Hire employees that are focused on providing the customers with the ultimate experience
• Personalize the experience and be empathetic to customer needs
• Ask questions about the experience during and before they leave so you can fix any problems immediately. “I am sorry” doesn’t resolve the problem
• Do something just a little bit different than your competitors
• Give them a coupon or gift card to get them to return
• Follow up if you have an email and ask about their visit
• Answer all complaints within 24 hours. Ignoring them is not the answer

Leaders must set the tone for their team

As a leader you must set the tone for your team. You have to be able to walk the talk now more than ever. When you support your team, quality customer experiences will prevail. Remember this is the new norm for now so keep your team communicating. When you receive feedback, review it with your team. Remember feedback is a learning experience for everyone. You want to solve problems so customers return and refer.

It’s so important that you are focusing on the importance of quality customer experiences in this pandemic. You have to get people to want to come out of their homes. They won’t do this unless they feel appreciated and safe. Give them a reason. As my colleague Shep Hyken says create “Moments of Magic”. Let us at The Hart Experience help you bring back those customers by educating you on your customer experience. Contact Debbie@thehartexperience.com 602.717.3271 for your COMPLIMENTARY business assessment. https://www.thehartexperience.com