More demanding, more individual, in quest for meaning and values, it no longer responds to the strategies of the mass marketing. Its consumption is active, personal or even ethical. He wants to be recognized and treated as an individual to full share.
In a highly competitive economy, it is the quality of customer service that often makes the difference. Businesses are therefore more and more numerous to personalize their products
and their services according to their customers. In this trend, new information and communication technologies play a fundamental role in getting to know their customers and responding to
their needs.
Companies can no longer afford to spend their budgets in promotional campaigns whose relevance and profitability are not ensured. They must imperatively redirect their strategy and marketing to reach the right customer and him offer services and products tailored to their requirements.
Turning the whole business – marketing, production and services – towards customer satisfaction and loyalty becomes the major challenge for organizations.
Principles and strategies of customer-oriented company
We propose you to do the point on the principles and strategies of the customer-oriented company.
• 1 – Mobilize the company around the customer
Develop a service strategy, guide all stakeholders and business partners to drive profitable customer loyalty and drive the business around the customer.
• 2 – Enchant customers
Adapt marketing, strategy and products to new consumer demands, innovate to meet the needs of consumers customers, create value for the customer. Don’t forget about the importance of quality management.
Develop a customer service strategy
Too many companies focus on the quality of their offer and neglect the quality of the relationship with the customer. Yet, it is a key factor of his satisfaction. The Service Profit Chain shows that the implementation of a service strategy helps to improve the profitability of the business so
considerable.
• The principles of the service strategy
Profit and growth are tied to customer loyalty. More a customer is satisfied, the more value he will give to the delivery and the more he will be loyal to the company. Which translates into an increase in the profits of the company.
– Customer satisfaction depends strongly on the quality of the relationship with the company. It is of course necessary to bring satisfaction on the service provided by delivering
the expected result (speed of service, for example). But to make the difference, it is very important to bring the customer a listening and a special attention, courtesy, etc.
– Customer satisfaction depends employee satisfaction:
o more employees are satisfied and motivated, the more they contribute to the customer satisfaction by doing evidence, for example, of a better contact or better efficiency in the way of providing the benefit;
o relatively, the satisfaction of customers helps to increase employee satisfaction by generating a sense of pride of work accomplished.
• Implement a strategy on duty
To implement a strategy of service, you have to give yourself goal of fully satisfying 100%
of its customers. For that you need:
– Select customers and eliminate low-profit customers:
o Eliminate the customers who attach little importance to how they are served because they are often opportunistic and constantly changing suppliers;
o Eliminate also chronically indifferent customers, insensitive to the efforts of satisfaction undertaken.
o Carefully select your collaborators. Recruit employees for their relational qualities rather than their technical skills. It is often easier to train at seconds than at first.
o Pay special attention to problem management and customer satisfaction
Paying special attention to quality management and problem solution
– Provoking dialogue with customers to encourage them to confess their dissatisfaction.
– To get to know the customer to take into account his preferences during a benefit. For an airline, this may for example consist of record the investment preferences of their customers (smoker, porthole, etc.).
– Build an organization able to deal quickly with customer complaints. For example, create a department to study the problems to answer them quickly, or decentralize responsibilities to give greater latitude to staff in contact with the client.
– Educate employees about the importance of customer loyalty. For example, in linking their remuneration to customer satisfaction.