Customer satisfaction is heavily influenced by the expectations of the customer. Remember, what customers consider “satisfactory” will always be determined by a combination of factors including what your company promised, what it delivered, and the customer’s own personal viewpoints and experiences.
It is therefore important to note that, while making a strong sales pitch is always encouraged, it is also important to ensure that your company does not overpromise.
It’s especially important if your ideal client is someone who will stick around for the long haul as a result of a subscription system or recurring purchases
Keep track of your audience
One of the benefits of modern marketing is the degree to which it can be targeted. Working with a marketing agency that provides data consulting services, or conducting tests on your own, you can determine which types of customers are most receptive to your message.
And this, in turn, can assist you in determining what information should be included in your marketing materials and on your website’s home page in order to set realistic expectations with your target demographic.
Make minor adjustments to your message
The vast majority of people who live in developed countries today are marketing experts, and they are completely unaware of it.
Customer interaction with brands and advertising begins before a child is able to walk, so by the time they are adults, they have developed a natural ability for reading and interpreting marketing materials. This is something you should keep in mind when developing your company’s message as well as its marketing materials.
Because of this awareness, everything from the colors used on a sales page to the style you choose for your homepage will play a role in establishing your customer’s initial expectations of your brand and its products and services.
As a result, it is critical to ensure that you do not send the wrong message. While it may be tempting to make your solo-operated online store appear and sound like a major retailer, customers’ expectations when dealing with large corporations differ from those of customers when dealing with small businesses.
Keep in touch
Sending customers updates and following up with them on a regular basis can be extremely beneficial when attempting to manage expectations.
Regular communication allows you to explain the various steps of the process to your clients and provide them with status updates as needed.
As a bonus, keeping in touch will encourage customers to inquire about the process, which will in turn assist them in setting more realistic expectations for the final product.
It’s true that not every customer appreciates receiving regular updates via email or other means of communication.
As a result, it is a good idea to provide customers with a clear and simple method of opting out of receiving such updates.
Maintain a level of consistency
There are many different flavors of consistency to choose from, and each one is important when it comes to meeting and exceeding customer expectations. One of the most important things you should do is ensure that your company does not make promises that it cannot keep.
Setting realistic deadlines and providing truthful product descriptions will go a long way toward preventing issues and frustration from occurring.
The same client who would have been fine if you took 7 days to complete a job will be upset if you promise to deliver it in 3 days but end up delivering it on the 6th day of the project.
That’s one flavor of consistency: overpromising and underdelivering on the promises. However, underpromising and overdelivering can both be problematic.
For whatever reason, if a client’s job is completed much more quickly than usual; it’s a good idea to inform them that such a quick turnaround is not the norm in order to avoid the creation of expectations that are impossible to meet consistently in the future.
It takes a lot of transparency and clear communication to avoid this kind of problem. This is especially true with new clients.