By J’Nel Wright
How well do you know your customer? If you want to be competitive, it’s good to learn everything you can. Salesforce research shows that 63 percent of today’s consumers expect businesses to understand their expectations, and 76 percent of B2B buyers want the same thing.
One thing is for sure, the demands placed on businesses to stay competitive require a robust understanding of the digital space, targeted strategies, branding, web design, analytics, and more. But that’s not all organizations need: they need a marketing partner.
There’s no substitute for skill and ability. But we believe internal processes, such as customer-centric policies, expertise, and positive work culture, also play a pivotal role in an effective marketing agency. The way team members treat each other often reflects in the product or service they provide for their customers. Here’s why:
1. Be Transparent With Clients
Transparency in the workplace improves trust and overall satisfaction for all employees. But what does that mean for how your customers feel when they choose to do business with you?
An Edelman survey found that only one out of three consumers trust most brands they buy and use. The study also notes that 69 percent of respondents expressed growing concerns about an organization’s commitment to social causes. However, over half (55 percent) believe transparency is still very much about them and the customer experience a company provides.
In other words, if you enforce confusing or inconsistent policies that don’t reinforce a pleasant customer experience, you will sacrifice customer loyalty.
“If your people can’t clearly explain why a decision is being made that makes customers unhappy, that should be a warning that this is something you need to change. The same rule applies to your sales policies, hiring policies, pricing, warranties, and customer service — everything,” says Forbes Technology Council member and contributor Vaclav Vincalek.
Work culture is a strategic part of an organization’s transparency, and creating a policy with the customer’s experience in mind is a big part.
2. Create Quality Deliverables, such as Design, Content, and Analytics Reporting
Let’s face it. A positive customer experience is important, but providing a quality product or service is still a requirement. Although a recent survey found that almost 46 percent of consumers consider the customer experience a priority, the same survey also shows that 33.6 percent still want a product or service that works.
We’ve enjoyed working with a long-term client who has an evolving vision about her company’s web design and social media content strategies. Although the vision may be a bit blurry at times, we’ve retained this company as a valued client because we provide a positive customer experience, and our work offers solutions.
As a team, we are committed to delivering quality work because it builds trust with our clients. By establishing a product strategy, we can meet the client’s expectations, then take it one step further to help them achieve the next level of their business goals.
3. Support a Dedicated Staff
You help your team feel valued by learning what matters most to every employee.
“This past year has been just as tough on your team as it’s been on you. Take care of them, and they’ll take care of your customers,” says Forbes contributor John Hall. He added that nearly eight in ten people leave jobs because they feel underappreciated.
“Since we operate as a remote team, it takes more effort to gauge the emotional health of our team. We meet as a group every day to talk about work, but it almost always evolves into an opportunity to socialize and laugh,” says Emily Woll, COO at Osmond Marketing. “We also review hours every week to be sure the workload of our team is manageable. If the hours look high, it’s time to reach out to discuss what support they need to succeed.”
We believe the quality of our product is measured by the accountability of our leadership and the collaborative nature of our team. Both factors contribute to a foundation for transparency and a dedication to create products and services that we stand by.