Just what does your customer want?

This month, Business Support Specialist Heidi Green discusses customer satisfaction.

Understanding what your customers want is the key to increasing your sales. Give them what they want and you will get what you want – more sales!

The first thing a customer wants is a solution to their problems. Do they buy storage space to solve the problem of a cluttered house? Is it a train ticket to get to their chosen destination? Are they buying peace of mind with insurance? So, get thinking about what your service or product solves for your client.

Many businesses just do not deliver on their promises so people are afraid you won’t deliver on yours, so therefore you have to prove that you can be trusted.

Offer free trials of your product or service, 30 minutes free advice can lead to months of work. Demonstrations and samples always help to prove you can deliver what you say. What about a 100% money-back guarantee if your customer is not happy? Use testimonials from previous happy clients, this is others saying you deliver on promises. Customers also want clarity. Don’t use jargon and ensure your ordering process is easy.

Find out the problems your prospects want solving, think about how you will solve it, be generous with your time and any samples you give and ensure the customer knows you are there for them. This will set you apart from the competition and build trust with your customers.

For further help and advice contact Heidi Green, Senior Business Advisor for Selby District Council via email at hgreen@selby.gov.uk or telephone 01757 292332.