The number one thing we measure in Expresso Company is customer satisfaction. The equivalent KPI would be customer retention. I’m happy and proud to say that we still have clients that signed on with us in 2018. I’d like to share some of the key actions we do here at The Expresso Company that help us keep our clients for the long run.
#1 – Setting Expectations.
My mother always said that the only thing that’s guaranteed in life is death. Dark, I know! The point is that you should never promise something you can’t deliver. It’s important that from the very first contact with your client you set expectations.
The client should know when to expect calls, proposals, reports, and contact with their POC and what kind of results our work should bring. Most clients will appreciate you being clear and transparent about what to expect.
Honesty sometimes requires you to tell them something they don’t want to hear. They might get some negative results, they might be heading into low season or their competitors are picking up their marketing. However, you must tell them.
Everything you bring to your client should always be backed up with data. If you are preparing your client for a bad month, make sure you have the graph that shows they have a downward trend in the same month the year before.
#2 – Communication is key.
The Expresso Company aims to make our clients feel like we are working one-on-one in the marketing office right next door to them.
We are BIG on communication. Other agencies limit the number of calls you can have with your account manager. Not us! We know you’ve poured your heart and soul into your business, and you like to be informed and bounce ideas off us. We welcome communication, and our clients love it.
Sometimes a client might want to talk about a weather change, or a news event and ask your opinion about how to react. Maybe he is short-staffed and needs to let you know. You need to talk about those calls; it’s important to the client.
Keep in mind every conversation with a client is an opportunity to improve, learn about their business, and maybe even grow the account.
#3 – Be in the Know!
Our team is required to stay on top of global trends, news, and pop culture. We need to know what’s going on in the world so we can help your brand react. Reaching out to your client first thing in the morning and saying. “Hey, I saw this in the news. How would you like to handle it.” Shows your client you are on top of things, you do your research, and you always have their account in mind.
I’ll give you an example; one of our accounts is a delivery app. We have the data that tells us that as soon as it begins to rain orders on the app pick up. What did we do internally? We made sure everyone in our agency that works on this account has a weather app WITH NOTIFICATIONS ACTIVATED set to the city where this app operates. That way they are notified, and we can react accordingly.
Although it may seem obvious these 3 tips will greatly improve your customer satisfaction and strengthen your relationship with your customer. It’s been the foundation of The Expresso Company since we started.
