The myth that customer experience (CX) is solely for the B2C industry is long gone. At present, generating a strong customer experience is critical for the B2B segment as well. In fact, 86% of customers are ready to pay more for excellent customer experience, as per the PwC report. This indicates an exciting opportunity for B2B firms.
Image Source: SuperOffice
However, to improve lead generation and reap better returns from CX, you can’t just greet your buyers and talk good to them. There are several customer experience strategies one has to follow to fulfill the constant demands of the audience. Some of those tested and proven tactics are mentioned below.
1. Build an Emotional Connection
Some of the top-notch brands, such as Apple and Amazon, are known for their great customer experience by establishing a one-to-one relationship with the clients. B2B companies can follow the same path by putting themselves in the client’s shoes. That is, imagine the experience you would like to receive from your favorite brand, and use that answer to create your customer-service strategies.
For instance, if a customer is upset, confused, or frustrated, the first thing you have to do is – assess how dissatisfied they are. Once done, try to calm them by offering the trustable solution, along with an apology. This makes the customers realize their importance for your firm, and results in:
- Long-lasting relationship
- Increased sales and revenue
- Better customer advocacy
- The reduced customer attrition rate
2. Provide Faster Response
According to CMP Council, the most crucial attribute (almost 75%) of good customer service, is fast response time. So, the question is – how quickly one has to respond to the client’s queries? SuperOffice researched 1,000 firms to determine their average response time, and as per the report, the number stands between the odd 12 hours and 10 minutes.
Image Source: SuperOffice
If your customer service response rate falls between these numbers, it’s high time to bring in some changes and reduce this time. Following the steps mentioned below helps you resolve this issue:
- Prioritize the email you receive
- Implement customer service automation tools
- Set up time-based email alerts
- Utilize ready-to-use templates and shortcuts
3. Offer Multi-Channel Support
It is essential to offer multi-channel support to stay in touch with customers from various backgrounds and demographics. According to MarketingSherpa, customers have a diverse interest when it comes to choosing the preferred marketing channel for communication.
Image Source: Marketing Sherpa
Therefore, marketers have to actively initiate customer experience strategies through multiple channels. Unfortunately, only a few companies have integrated this approach in their everyday business operation. Around 42% of customer service agents still fail to provide this solution efficiently.
4. Automate CX Procedures
Chatbots is one of the common examples of automated tool used by marketers. This tool will successfully generate leads, nurture, and convert them into buyers. Apart from lead generation:
- It collates lead’s information for future reference
- Builds a delightful experience for customers with real-time response
- Lessens the customer support expenses
- Boosts the visitor’s convenience and increases the number of loyal customers
Another example of automation is the usage of autoresponder emails. This tool automatically sends an email to subscribers based on specific conditions, such as their birth date, location, etc.
Image Source: Michaels
Consider the above email by Michaels. The company sends out an automated email when a new subscriber joins its mailing list. It uses this opportunity to introduce itself to the subscriber and let them know what to expect from the brand. Having a verfied b2b mailing list gives you the extra edge when running such marketing campaigns.
5. Get Feedbacks and Reviews
A Harvard Business Review revealed that every one-star increase in review gets a brand on Yelp, and increases the revenue by 5% to 9%. So, without delay, invite customers to provide their reviews and feedback, so that you can increase the sales rate as well as improvise your product and service further for better result.
It should be noted that all the reviews won’t be great or make you smile. However, courteously responding to the negative review will undoubtedly create a great impression in the customer’s minds. Happy customers will become your brand ambassadors, and recommend your product to their friends and family.
Final Note
No matter, how small or giant your business is, your clients are the source of your revenue. So, try hard to read their minds. Know their problems and interest to offer the most excellent customer experience. With the right CX strategy, you will increase your chances to cross-sell and upsell, and thereby generate better ROI.