The Importance of a Happy Customer

20th March might seem like any other day to you, working away in your business, but it is different to the rest, and it should stop and make you think. 20th March is the International Day of Happiness, celebrated by 192 United Nations member states, putting the emphasis on looking for the good, for celebrating, for generally being more positive… It’s a great idea, and something that, once you get the idea of it, can be carried on throughout the year.

 

Although the first International Day of Happiness was only first celebrated in 2013, the idea is a strong one, and the waves that it makes ripple onwards. It is no wonder that so many people like to keep 20th March as something rather more special than usual.

 

Happiness is particularly important when it comes to your customers. Keeping them happy and feeling well looked after is one of the cornerstones of business; happy customers means repeat business and good reviews, after all.

 

 

 

There are a number of reasons why keeping your customers happy is something you, as a business owner, need to concentrate on getting right. Here are some of the main ones, and, once you’ve read them, you’ll see just what it means to make your customers happy and improve your business at the same time.

 

 

 

 

A happy customer is a loyal one, at least most of the time. Gaining new customers is an expensive endeavour, and it’s easier (and cheaper) to keep the customers you have and have them return to you time and again. You’ll make the same money as a lot of one off purchases, but you won’t have spent as much to get it. If you can make your customer glad to have bought from you, and even bring a smile to their face, they will be back whenever they need whatever it is you are selling.

 

 

 

Thanks to the advent of the internet, there is now more competition out there than ever before. No matter what sector you are in or even how niche your products and services might be, there will always be competition.

 

If your customers are happier using your competition than they are using you, you will lose them. Keeping them happy means that they won’t even look for anywhere else to buy from, and they certainly won’t stop buying from you. What’s really wonderful about happiness is that it doesn’t take much to create it, so it is relatively easy to keep your customers happy and hold onto their custom.

 

The better your customer satisfaction levels, the more you will stand out amongst your competition, making it easier to entice new customers to use you.

 

 

 

Customers who enjoy shopping in a specific place, whether it’s because of the atmosphere, the décor, the customer service, or the products themselves are likely to spend more in the place that makes them smile. They feel as though they can trust the products, even if they’ve never tried them before, so they are more willing to ‘take a chance’ and spend money on something which, if it had been in a shop or on a website that was not happiness-making would be ignored and bypassed altogether.

 

Happy customers spend more freely, so keeping your customers happy will raise your revenue and profits.

 

 

 

Now you know why it is so important to keep your customers happy, you will need to know how to do it. Here are some of the best ways to create a happy customer base to boost your business forward.

 

 

 

What is it that makes your customers see something as being of value? Finding this out will help you to create that value, and in turn bring happiness. Talk to your customers face to face, or send out surveys for them to complete. Once you know what they want, you can look at the kinds of opportunities you can create to give it to them.

 

Knowing what value your customers see in your business will also help you to create your USP (unique selling proposition). Once you know what this is, you can use it as the basis of everything you do, adding value as you go, and increasing customer happiness because you are giving them what they want as well as what they need.

 

 

 

In order to keep your customers happy you need to be different from other companies who are trying to do the same thing. Looking at your USP will help, as will speaking to your customers, but you should also take the time to explore what your competitors are doing so that you know that you are being different.

 

Taking the time to check is crucial; you can’t stand out – and neither can you make your customers happy – if you don’t.

 

 

 

In order to make your customers happy, you need to create a win win price. That is, a price that nets you a profit, but that makes your customer feel they are getting excellent value for money. Don’t worry if it takes you a while to work out what that specific price point should be; it need to be right, so it is worth working on.

 

The more value a customer feels they are getting from you, the happier they will be. They will be back because they know their money will get them more with you, but they will also tell others – we all love to let people know about a bargain to be had, or where the best place to buy something is because of the wonderful customer service, or where we just enjoy shopping and feel comfortable and, above all else, happy. This is the cheapest and potentially most effective form of advertising there is.

 

 

 

Customer happiness is, above anything else, the most vital part of running a business. A happy customer will stick with you, even if (or when) you make mistakes. A perfect business that has miserable customers will do far less well than an imperfect one that makes it customers feel like kings and queens.