How do you ensure customer success?
Begin with great customer onboarding!
Long-term customer success builds customer trust, which we talked about last time as being a major factor to growing your business. It should start early and be consistent. Today we’re going to talk about the early factor of customer success: the onboarding process.
Great Customer Onboarding includes two things:
1. Customer interest (i.e. They request a bid for a project.)
2. Seeing value (i.e. The customer sees value in your brand after they have interacted with you in some way.)
Much like building customer trust, great customer onboarding is a process and the results should keep your business thriving.
1. Define expectations and set goals
Great customer onboarding begins by asking questions.
- What is the ultimate goal?
- What does your customer want as the end result?
- What is their timeframe?
Then make a plan to achieve these goals. This will require setting milestones, or goal deadlines. Reaching each milestone will show a succession of success.
2. Customize the experience
Individualize each of your customers and make them feel valued and at home. This should be basic practice for all of your customers and will mostly be based on the goals you set. Periodic check-in’s are helpful for both you and your customers. Ask them how the process is going, if they have any questions, or if there is anything you can improve upon.
3. Make sure your team is “in the know”
Educating the rest of your team on each of your customers is important for a smooth onboarding process. This will help in work flow and build trust in your brand as a whole.
- How will each person on your team answer the phone?
- What information will they record?
- Where will they record it?
- How will team members address clients?
- How will your team communicate with clients about specific needs? Phone? Email?
- How often will your team check in with clients?
All of this ensures that your client receives consistent experiences with every member of your team.
4. Focus on the relationship
You are building a relationship with your customer that goes beyond the initial sale. So check in, follow up, and most importantly… communicate!
5. Communication
Consistent communication during the customer onboarding process (and beyond) will make or break customer trust. Be available and responsive to questions. Most importantly: make sure your customers know they are important and you are there to help.
It’s a domino effect. Great customer onboarding will lead to customer success and trust. Trust will ultimately keep your business growing. What is your customer onboarding process?
The eBid is are greatest advantage. We are able to communicate with out customers and give them samples of our work, helping them to see how their project will be treated the same way.