Build a successful Customer Service in 3 steps.

Customer Service in the food and beverage industry isn’t just about prioritising customers; it’s about listening to them.

Companies may become complacent when times are good, as they still have a good number of new clients and there will always be someone who is not satisfied with services anyway.

However, after recent crises such as the pandemic and Brexit, many companies found themselves in a position with less business and fewer customers, leading them to go back to the drawing board and rebuild their customer service initiatives.

We have identified 3 main steps to building successful Customer Service:

3 Steps to Building Successful Customer Service:

• Build relationships and customer loyalty
• Bring customers along with you
• Get value for your staff

Build relationships and customer loyalty.

Build a successful Customer Service in 3 steps.

When customers sense that the company is willing to go the extra mile for them, they will give their loyalty and stay longer, even paying a premium.

One of the most effective ways to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction is by introducing a loyalty programme.

Loyalty programmes are a great way to show customers that they are appreciated and valued, while also giving them something back in return. It’s no surprise why customers love rewards! By offering customers rewards for their loyalty, they are more likely to come back again and again, making it a great way to build customer loyalty.

For example, Costa Coffee recently ran a loyalty programme where customers could get free iced coffee when they scanned the Costa Club mobile app when buying a drink.  

This reward made their customers so ecstatic that they wanted to come back to the store and share their experience with their friends and family, which could even bring in new business to the company. Additionally, customers who used the loyalty programme often felt more valued and appreciated, which is always a plus for customer loyalty.

Therefore, if you want to stand out in today’s crowded market, you need to bring your A-game.  Especially when increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits from 25-90%.

Bring customers along with you.

Build a successful Customer Service in 3 steps.

Whether it’s a Digital Transformation or a new Customer Service strategy in the food company, it is essential to gather feedback from customers. Their input can help you understand what they’re looking for in order to create a better customer experience. Moreover, by involving customers when making internal changes and asking for their opinion on your processes, you will save time and money on activities that don’t help them. 

If you are working with a software partner on a Digital Transformation project, they should help you identify key points of contact to get in touch so you get the most out of the transformation, as acquiring a new customer costs 5 times more than retaining one.

Therefore, by gathering customer feedback and involving them in the process, you can create meaningful and lasting changes that will benefit your business and customers alike. This will help your business stay competitive in the market and continue to offer the best customer experience possible.

Get value for your staff.

Build a successful Customer Service in 3 steps.

When you improve customer service processes in the food and beverage company, it’s essential to stay focused on your customers, as they will see the changed processes first. However, don’t forget about your staff either.

Many companies never double-check with their employees that the changes the customer service team is undergoing are met with the people who should follow these procedures. Therefore, if your staff are doing ‘mundane’ or repetitive tasks and you can automate these processes, that will often empower employees to stay focused on what’s important.

For instance, a call centre operative can provide better customer service by having time on the phone with customers than typing in order details received via email or fax.

You can improve these processes by implementing Order Management Solution for Food and Beverage companies. Your internal champion of improvement will help those implementing the transformation understand the current or potential pain points and ensure that whatever the result is, it will work on a day-to-day basis for them and their colleagues.

By being part of the project team, they can also quickly give feedback on what may make the process inefficient or add dissatisfaction to the experience. And because they fully see the long-term benefit, it will be honest feedback which will be invaluable to the wider team in ensuring success.

Whenever you choose to step up your game and improve your Customer Service, don’t forget to check with both sides of the change – customers and your employees.

Make sure your customers see the benefit of the change and ask for their feedback to understand what else you can improve to enhance your Customer Service. As well as check with your employees that their tedious and manual tasks are automated, giving them more time to focus on more value-added tasks and your customers.

And always remember, 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies that offer excellent customer service.

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