Business 101: Understanding the Importance of Taking Care of Your Customers

Lizzie Weakley

August 06, 2015

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Customers are the backbone of a business. You simply can't survive as a brand without attracting them, pleasing them, retaining them and getting them to spread the word about your products and services.

But what if you're a new business without a lot of experience in taking care of your customers? What are the most basic steps that everyone needs to know before hanging their shingle? Consider this a quick guide to satisfying your consumers.

Know Who They Are

Demographic information is important in everything from advertising to market research. If you don't know who's buying from you, you can't be sure you're targeting the right groups with the right products and the right ads. Here are just a few things you should research:

- Genders
- Age groups
- Income levels
- Aesthetics
- Social networking preferences, if any

Without this information, your brand of service might fall terribly flat. Teenage boys and elderly grandmothers expect different things from service clerks. Men and women respond to different ads with varying tones. The young might sneer at an ad campaign that enraptures the old. If you can't conform to these expectations, your customers might just leave your store and find someone who will.

Establish Open Lines of Communication

No one likes talking into a void. If you're serious about succeeding as a business, your customers need to know that you're always open to questions, comments and suggestions. You should also follow two basic rules for responding to your consumers:

- Affirm Positive Feedback

Do people love your products? Are they tweeting about their great shopping experience in your store? Be sure you drop them a line expressing your appreciation. In addition to making them feel like a valued customer, you'll also be establishing yourself as a warm, friendly brand to everyone else reading. This kind of attention will generate more leads.

- Respond to Complaints and Criticisms

Never let a complaint go unchallenged. Not only will this give it legitimacy in the eyes of other people browsing the web for your brand, but if you gather enough negative reviews, it might affect your ranking with the Better Business Bureau and other business authorities. Look at things like ASEA reviews as an example of how to correctly respond to user feedback.

Be Available and Accessible

This is absolutely critical in the 21st century. Many people don't even sit at a desk to do their online shopping anymore; it's all completed through phones, tablets and other handheld devices. This means that if your website doesn't have a mobile version, you're missing out on huge chunks of business from tech-savvy consumers.

If you're an international brand, you'll also want to think about your availability as a whole. For example, does your customer service live chat run 24/7? Are your phones closed after 5pm? This may be inconvenient for customers overseas or those who work evening hours. Demographic information can really come in handy here. If your primary customers are young night owls, it just doesn't make sense to have a 9-to-5 phone line.

Consider the following if you want to be both available and accessible to your entire consumer base:

- Website
- Mobile website
- Apps
- Automated answering service
- Social media integration
- Customer service through phone, email and live chat

These are just a few things to keep in mind as you refine and reform your customer service. Remember, it's okay to make mistakes. The launch of a business always has some. What's important is that you're willing to listen to your customers and course-correct your approach when necessary. Good luck!