How to use customer impatience to your advantage
For many, the sky is the limit when it comes to a marketing budget. Think about the price tag of the half time Super Bowl commercial. Above all, the sales team will bend backwards to close the deal.
And then the agitation starts, soon it spills into irritation, and finally frustration. It begins with the customer because the company is not delivering on its word. The half time commercial does not reflect the whole truth. When is the last time you used a customer helpline? You know exactly what I mean.
The same emotions are growing within the customer service department. The customer(s) just don’t get it. They are intolerant, annoying and plain grumpy. After all, who can work with customers like this? Those that want instant service, never mind the other 1000 impatient ones in the line.
Well, the origin of the agitation, irritation and frustrations is a flawed strategy. Think of it; we will pay a fortune to scale our numbers but keeping customers happy we see as an expense. Minimising customer touchpoints are at the order of the day because we are on a mission to cut costs in this department. They can show a bit of patience and wait.
Whatever you do, please don’t put us on hold.
What if you turn customer impatience into your most significant asset? Please sit back, train your people to identify what started the agitation and why it boiled over into frustration. Show patience, don’t let the customer’s anxiety spill over into annoyance. And, if required, escalate the anger to the most influential person available. Sometimes the CEO can also lend a hand. Imagine how it will make the customer feel.
A brand is no longer what we tell the customer it is – it is what customers tell each other it is.
Imagine how the word will spread when the customers find it worthy of talking about you in a loving and caring way. After all, is that not what you desire, customers craving about you.
Then again, a top-rated commercial will bring instant gratification; no patience required. If you are in the long game, customer satisfaction is a better option.
Bottom Line: Patience is a virtue. You cannot allow a customer’s negativity or shortcomings to influence the way you treat them. Make them feel important, own the customer relationship; it is worth the investment.