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In a business environment in which competition has never been fiercer and every brand, whether big or small, is a contender for market share, focusing on customer-centricity is essential.

According to Forbes, customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than companies who don’t focus on customer service. Closer to home, a South African survey conducted by Salesforce showed that just under 90% of consumers say that their experience of a brand is just as important as the quality of the product or service they purchase.

This is true of both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers. There is a reason why the old adage “customer is king”, still bears just as much gravitas today as it did when it was first coined.

Unlock your business’ untapped potential with these four tools to become more customer-centric:

Personalise your digital marketing

The days of taking a “spray and pray” approach to digital marketing, are long gone. Today’s customers want an experience that makes them feel like more than just a number or a foot through the door.

You can make your marketing more personal by segmenting your audience into customer profiles based on demographics like their socio economic measure (as opposed to their LSM), their age, their interests and their buying behaviour. Doing this will allow you to take a more targeted approach to crafting your marketing messages.

Another quick fix is to use an email marketing system that records your subscribers’ details and then use the system to address each subscriber by their first name, instead of a general greeting. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference such a small detail can make.

Promote the products that matter

In previous years, retailers could get away with using promotions as a way to get rid of old or unwanted stock. Today’s consumers have wisened up to this fact and have become much savvier about how they spend their money.

Instead, you can focus on the customer and grant them access to promotions on the products and services that are most popular. Your customers choose you out of thousands of options. Reward them for that choice and you’ll be successful in turning once-off customers into loyal repeat customers, which will sustain your business through the tough times.

 

Talk their language

As a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), the better you get to know and understand your customer, the more you’ll be able to make informed decisions that will help you build a community and ultimately, build a brand that has the potential for longevity.

One way to do this is to talk your customer’s language – literally and figuratively. South Africa has 11 official languages and hundreds of dialects. When last have you monitored how your customers speak in terms of their language, their vocabulary, their style and their tone? If you haven’t looked into these details, now’s the time to do it. And then tailor your messaging to speak to them in a way that resonates with their unique personalities.

Ask for feedback

The thought of asking people to rate your product or service may not seem as daunting as asking them to rate your customer service, purely because the latter is a bit more personal. It could, however, be the key to addressing any pain points that customers experience when interacting with your brand.

There are many ways to ask for feedback – email marketing, social media polls, direct phone calls or even via an after-sales SMS. The best step you can take towards becoming a more customer-centric business is to stop what you’re doing, just for a moment, and listen to what your customers are saying and then act on their unique wants and needs – they are and will always be your biggest brand ambassadors.

ENDS

About the Author: Ben Bierman

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Ben Bierman has been our Managing Director since 2015. He joined our company in 1990 and has risen through the ranks occupying various positions ranging from being a management accountant, Head of Information Technology and Chief Financial Officer. Ben is an avid reader, enjoys classical music and being in the outdoors including for hunting trips. He is our go-to-spokesperson for our SME Confidence Index, SME sector policy and trend matters, and business leadership articles.