Delighting clients

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How small surprises can delight your customers

It’s been a tough two years for small to medium-sized businesses around Australia. But as the economy rebounds, SMEs can make the most of better times by standing out from the competition, says Milton Collins

DESPITE THE problems caused by COVID-19, the Australian economy is strong. As lockdowns have eased and borders are opening, it’s important that your business stands out so you can retain your current clients as well as develop new leads. The most e cient way to do this is to turn your existing clients into raving fans. These ambassadors drive referrals, stay loyal and do a large part of your marketing for you.

The best way to make a customer or client rave about you is to delight them. Most people tend to enjoy surprises, so long as they are carefully planned to really benefi t them.

By pleasing an existing or potential customer, you encourage them to enjoy more of the company’s work and refer their friends and business associates to you. It also helps you retain and attract great team members.

But how does a company go about delighting its customer base?

1Provide more than expected If you just complete a job or provide goods or services as expected, then it doesn’t really surprise or delight your customers. It’s the small additional surprises that make the memorable di erence. I like to provide additional information or tasters of other products that my business has.

2Demonstrate their return on investment Make sure the client can see their return on investment by clearly demonstrating or discussing the impact with them. Show that the outcome is critical to you, and that you want to make sure they see and understand the benefi t they have derived.

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The best way to make a customer or client rave about you is to delight them. Most people tend to enjoy surprises, so long as they are carefully planned to really benefi t them

3Celebrate with them Take the time to celebrate your customers’ wins, not just yours. If there have been positive results, then celebrate with them. It may even be unrelated to the work you have done with them.

Celebrations can involve giving small gifts, sending handwritten notes, or just taking the time to have lunch with them and brainstorm. Just celebrate!

4Communication Keep in touch and surprise your customers with other relevant information, or let them know what else you can do for them. Invest in their success with as much contact as possible – without being annoying.

Of course, make sure you get back to them as soon as possible if they contact you. Or at least send a reply letting them know when you can. In today’s world where we all juggle competing demands on our time and attention, clients and prospects are delighted when they feel that you care about them and give them priority.

5Exceed expectations While it may sound cliche, it’s best to underpromise and overdeliver. Making realistic commitments and then beating them is more important than ‘delighting’ a customer by agreeing to custom requests and accelerated timelines. Also, keep your customer informed along the way of your progress in meeting those commitments so there are no unexpected surprises.

6Look for and solve a pain point Ask what your customers’ concerns or problems may be – and provide a solution. Don’t just try to sell your product. Delight them by taking the time to fi nd out their pain points and o er a solution.

7Develop a relationship Surprise and delight prospects and customers by connecting with them and making the relationship about more than just work transactions. Find out about their hobbies, interests, family and even aspirations. Take them out for lunch or a drink. Get to know them.

8Be aware of their activities Follow your customers’ activities in the media or on Facebook, or occasionally google them. Better still, contact them with a simple “How’s things?”

It is the small surprises and delights that make you stand out from your competitors. They make you memorable and show that you care about more than just making a sale. These raving fans can be the make or break of business recovery, and all you have to do is delight them.

Milton Collins, author of Delight Disrupt Deliver, is a sought-after business coach, accountant and a sought-after business coach, accountant and award-winning business owner. As principal of award-winning business owner. As principal of The Action Business Coach, Collins dedicates his The Action Business Coach, Collins dedicates his time to helping small business owners meet the time to helping small business owners meet the challenges and maximise the opportunities of challenges and maximise the opportunities of their businesses. For more information, visit www.miltoncollins.actioncoach.com.