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How Can Businesses Adopt a Customer-Centric Approach?
In the quest to forge stronger customer bonds, we turned to a diverse group of nineteen business leaders, including CEOs and Founders, to share their strategies for a customer-centric approach. From implementing timely Net Promoter Score surveys to prioritizing satisfaction with a robust return policy, these insights delve into real-life examples that have boosted customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Implement Timely Net Promoter Score Surveys
- Offer Dedicated Case Management
- Solve Customer Problems Individually
- Founder Handles Client Communications Personally
- Connect on a Personal Level
- Hire for Customer Success
- Provide Free Resources
- Launch Customer-Driven Programs
- Listen to Client Stories
- Educate Clients Through Onboarding
- Implement Self-Service with AI
- Make First 100 Days Memorable
- Empower Frontline Employees
- Tailor Solutions to Client Needs
- Revamp Customer Support System
- Create Feedback Loop Workshops
- Build Genuine Customer Relationships
- Become a Trusted Advisor
- Prioritize Satisfaction with Return Policy
Implement Timely Net Promoter Score Surveys
One way we’ve built stronger relationships with our customers is by regularly measuring our Net Promoter Score (NPS). Our timely NPS surveys provide not only a rating but also an open-ended question where customers can freely share their thoughts. This feedback is incredibly valuable in identifying customer satisfaction and both small and large areas for improvement. For example, we recently had a customer highlight the need for more customized reporting capabilities. We acted quickly by assigning immediate fixes to our IT team.
It’s important to not only measure customer satisfaction via forms but to have a personal touchpoint as well. For example, we organize regular one-on-one online meetings with key account customers, where they can give direct feedback and share their experience in detail. This ensures that our customers feel heard and that their input directly shapes our product development. As a result, we’ve seen significant increases in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Based on their feedback, these customers felt much more confident in our service and more likely to continue partnering with us for the long term.
Mads Viborg Jørgensen, CEO and Co-Founder, PatentRenewal.com
Offer Dedicated Case Management
We provide each client with a dedicated case manager. Instead of dealing with a rotating team of administrators, our clients have a single professional who oversees their application from start to finish. This personalized attention ensures the team has a comprehensive understanding of the client’s needs, streamlines communication, and helps build trust.
We’ve found that having a case manager makes sure clients have a single contact point for the administrative aspects of getting a mortgage and getting updates when the broker isn’t always available. Factors like this are often mentioned in our positive reviews.
Luka Ball, Property & Real Estate Editor, Clifton Private Finance
Solve Customer Problems Individually
If our customers have their own happy, loyal customers, then we are confident we are doing a good job. We aim to provide high-quality products that fulfill the needs of our customers, and by building strong relationships, we hope to retain them throughout their own journeys too.
An approach that helps cement our business relationship is to listen to the customers’ problems and needs and then solve them on an individual basis.
We don’t just treat all customers the same but fully assess what they require and find the best, tailored solution for them. Sometimes there isn’t an ‘off-the-peg’ item available, but we will design prototypes using our 3D printer to design something exactly right for them. By displaying this dedication and proactive problem-solving, it shows that the customer is valuable to us and solidifies our relationship so we can help their business succeed.
Laura Grant, Marketing Manager, BlueSky Solutions
Founder Handles Client Communications Personally
The biggest thing we’ve done to adopt a customer-centric approach is that I, the founder, handle all client communications personally. This is differentiated from other agencies that rely on project managers for all client communications. My customers love that they get me; it creates a stronger bond and lets them know that they are cared for and that they are a priority. This practice has improved our customer retention rate versus the industry average.
Ninety percent of my clients stay with us for over four years, and we still have our very first client from when we began a decade ago. This is because each client knows that I’m there for them and that I treat every client with the utmost importance. Clients want to know they matter. By being more front-facing, they feel that way, and this increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Gabriel Bertolo, Creative Director, Radiant Elephant
Connect on a Personal Level
At Investor Home Buyers, connecting with clients on a personal level is key. For instance, we helped a homeowner whose house was a cherished family heirloom but faced foreclosure. Instead of just making an offer, we spent time understanding their emotional attachment and worked out a deal that allowed them to retain a keepsake from the property. Their gratitude was immense, leading to not only their repeat business but also heartfelt recommendations to others in need. This deep, empathetic approach has truly set us apart in the industry.
Darcy Turner, Founder, Investor Home Buyers
Hire for Customer Success
Hire for customer success. Your employees play a critical role in shaping customer experiences. They are the front-facing workforce that interacts with your customers daily. Regardless of the role, you should focus on hiring top talent that is aligned with customer-centric thinking and understands the importance of a good customer experience for your business. When we recruit, we pay attention to candidates who demonstrate empathy, problem-solving skills, and a genuine desire to help customers. We are biased toward candidates with strong communication skills, such as active listening and emotional intelligence.
Hiring people who align with our customer-first philosophy has helped us consistently improve our Net Promoter Score (NPS) for the last two years. We improved by 37% in the last six months. The customer feedback we receive consistently praises our customer support team’s patience, empathy, and dedication. This has been crucial in fostering long-term relationships with our clients and increasing our retention rate.
Fred Winchar, Founder, Certified HR professional, MaxCash
Provide Free Resources
In an industry where most companies are looking to charge customers for every bit of information they provide, we’re helping people, even before they become our customers. So we’ll offer a lot of resources like mortgage calculators, loan-comparison options, and budgeting tools for free — all without having to speak to a sales representative or pay for a consultation.
That’s just our way of staying true to what we started and showing potential customers that we’re here to help, not just to make a sale. We want to empower them with knowledge and give them the confidence to make informed decisions about their financial future. And we’ve found that this approach really resonates with people. When they do decide to work with us, they know that we have their best interests in mind and that we’re committed to helping them achieve their goals.
Mike Roberts, Co-Founder, City Creek Mortgage
Launch Customer-Driven Programs
Our niche and business model demand that we be customer- and community-centric. We cater to couponing enthusiasts and help them save money, and literally everything we do revolves around their needs. From the content to the campaigns we run, everything is tailored to them.
For example, we launched a ‘Pay-2-Share’ program after many of our users mentioned they would like to share the coupons they came across online. Couponers are very serious when they’re on the hunt for deals, so we didn’t doubt that they were definitely finding coupons as great—and even better—than the ones we shared. Keeping this in mind, we created the program, which basically allows consumers to earn cash rewards by sharing coupons with their friends and family. Everyone loves it, and by putting our customers first and creating something that aligns with their interests, we have built a much larger and stronger community than before.
Gary Gray, CEO, CouponChief.com
Listen to Client Stories
From the moment someone walks through our doors, we make it a point to listen to their story and understand their situation. Instead of just diving into the legal details, we take the time to sit down with them, listen to their concerns, and explain the whole process in a way that makes sense. A year ago, we had a client who had been in a bad car accident. They were dealing with injuries, but they were also really worried about their medical bills and how this was going to affect their job. You could tell they needed more than just legal help. After a bit of coaxing, we were able to point them to a physical therapist and a counselor who specializes in helping accident victims. We also made sure to check in regularly to see how they were doing, and I don’t think they were expecting it.
They told us they felt genuinely cared for as a person, not just another case. And that’s what it’s all about for us. We’re not just here to handle the legal side—we want to be a resource and an advocate. It’s been a year since, and they’ve referred a bunch of people to us and left us reviews on every platform.
Riley Beam, Managing Attorney, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.
Educate Clients Through Onboarding
In SaaS, it’s all about client education. Part of what builds our relationships so deep is our ability to onboard well and continuously offer training to help customers find new use cases and take advantage of features to the fullest. If they’re getting the maximum value from our product, we can work to keep their ROI high, deepen loyalty, and show users that we care deeply about their pain points.
We educate across channels, but our webinar program is among our most engaging. We host webinars for customers at every step of the journey with our ‘Getting Started’ series, share favorite new features, train on data analytics, and more.
Elisa Montanari, Head of Organic Growth, Wrike
Implement Self-Service with AI
In our organization, the customer-centric approach is built on two elements—prioritizing customer feedback and personalizing our products/services based on customers’ requirements and preferences. This approach helps us provide the best possible customer experience without compromising on the quality of our products and services. This year, we implemented CRM systems to collect and analyze customer data coming from contact forms, feedback submissions, and user behavior.
One interesting point we found was that customers didn’t want to wait too long to get their questions or issues resolved. They were waiting for manual help from our customer support team even for small issues which could be resolved in minutes. So, we started implementing a knowledge base and trained AI to provide self-service to customers. This approach improved customer satisfaction by 16% in the next six months, as we track our organization’s Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Rases Changoiwala, Co-founder & Marketing Head, TapWell
Make First 100 Days Memorable
We strive to make the first 100 days of a relationship with any of our customers as frictionless and memorable as possible. This involves making six to seven different touchpoints along various stages of the customer lifecycle. We want to make sure that the customer is never in a position where they don’t know what the next steps are. We make it very easy for customers to voice any concerns or complaints they have as easily as possible. We view this feedback as invaluable to making our customers’ experience better.
This approach has led to most of our clients referring others to us because they know we’ll treat them right.
Nickalaus Patrocky, Director of Operations, Coldoutreach.com
Empower Frontline Employees
Our customer-centric approach centers on empowering our frontline employees in customer service. Giving them the autonomy to make quick decisions greatly benefits our customers. For instance, at Mondressy, we allow our customer service reps to offer solutions like expediting orders at no extra charge or providing partial refunds if there’s a genuine issue with a product. This approach ensures that problems are resolved promptly, which keeps our customers happy and encourages them to shop with us again.
One technique we’ve adopted is the ‘First Contact Resolution’ framework. The goal here is to resolve customer issues in their first interaction with us. This not only saves time for everyone involved but also shows our customers that we value their time and concerns. When a bride had a last-minute sizing issue with her dress, our customer service team was able to arrange for an express alteration service and overnight shipping, all without escalating the issue up the management chain. This immediate problem-solving ability increases customer satisfaction and builds loyalty, making them more likely to recommend Mondressy to others.
Jean Chen, COO & Co-Founder, Mondressy
Tailor Solutions to Client Needs
Our customer-centric approach is all about truly listening to our clients and tailoring our solutions to meet their unique needs. We dive deep into understanding their challenges and goals, which allows us to build genuine relationships based on trust and value.
For example, we had a client struggling with low user engagement on their feedback surveys. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all solution, we held a series of personalized strategy sessions to uncover their specific pain points.
By customizing our tools and offering targeted support, we transformed their survey engagement rates and, as a result, saw their customer satisfaction scores soar. This tailored approach not only solved their problem but also fostered a strong, long-term partnership, proving that when we put the customer first, loyalty follows naturally.
Babu Jayaram, Head of Customer Success, Qualaroo
Revamp Customer Support System
We will always put ourselves in our customers’ shoes by understanding their needs and preferences, obtained by active listening at all touchpoints. One example of how this attitude has brought about a marked increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty is the revamping of our customer support system based on numerous pieces of feedback received. We arranged more timely and personalized servicing, with support provided through real-time chat and dedicated account managers. This has also brought us really nice feedback and repeat business; it turned out that indeed, by focusing on the needs of our customers, we could establish better and more loyal relationships.
Ashit Sharma, Growth Marketer, Marketing Boutique
Create Feedback Loop Workshops
At Mitten Home Buyer, we turn customer feedback into actionable insights through an innovative ‘Feedback Loop Workshop.’ Clients are invited to review their renovation progress and share their thoughts in a collaborative session with our team. For instance, one workshop revealed a client’s desire for more eco-friendly materials, which we then incorporated into their project. This approach not only increased their satisfaction but also led to a 15% rise in client referrals. Engaging clients directly in shaping their experience fosters deeper connections and loyalty.
Bryan Melchert, Owner, Mitten Home Buyer
Build Genuine Customer Relationships
At our company, we’re not just focused on transactions; we’re committed to building genuine, lasting relationships with every customer. We want each interaction to leave them feeling valued, heard, and delighted.
This means going beyond the basics and anticipating their needs at every touchpoint. From personalized product recommendations to proactive customer support, we strive to create an experience that’s both seamless and memorable.
One example that stands out is our ‘surprise and delight’ initiative. We randomly select customers and send them a small, personalized gift or handwritten thank-you note. It’s a simple gesture, but it goes a long way in showing our appreciation and fostering a sense of connection.
We’ve received countless heartwarming messages from customers who were genuinely touched by these unexpected acts of kindness. It’s these small touches that turn one-time buyers into loyal brand advocates, spreading the word about their positive experiences and contributing to our company’s long-term growth.
Charles Chakkalo, Owner, Joey’z Shopping
Become a Trusted Advisor
Axis Technical Group is a services organization that has grown by creating long-lasting customer relationships. Many of our clients have been with us for 10 or 15 years. This has happened because we have become their trusted advisor. As we work with our clients, our primary objective is first to understand the issue they are facing—then we work together to determine the best solution. One of our clients faced a challenge when a key employee announced their retirement at the same time a new payroll system began implementation. Despite initial thoughts on using a faster out-of-the-box option, we showed that a better strategy was to build a custom solution that could meet future requirements.
Kyle Valdes, Sales Director, Axis Technical Group
Prioritize Satisfaction with Return Policy
Our business is fundamentally built around a customer-centric approach, prioritizing satisfaction and loyalty at every touchpoint. To ensure this, we have a 100% customer satisfaction return policy for the first 30 days, demonstrating our commitment to a seamless and risk-free experience.
Even though we are in the early stages, we are dedicated to creating a highly personalized experience for each customer. This begins with the ‘unboxing’ moment, which we aim to make memorable, and extends to thoughtful gestures like acknowledging customers by their names and celebrating their birthdays.
We also actively engage with our customers by inviting them to share their Curbicus experiences on social media, creating a sense of community and connection. To further strengthen these bonds, we plan to host community events in collaboration with our partners in the pet space, including established partnerships with pet food companies and dog-friendly cafes.
This personalized approach has already helped us build stronger relationships and foster a sense of loyalty among our customers, which we believe will only grow as we continue to expand and enhance these efforts.
Anna Gannon, Founder/ Inventor, Curbicus
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