If you’ve ever had the experience of receiving daily emails from a company leading up to your purchase only to be ghosted post purchase, you know it’s not the best experience. A company’s collection of interactions with its customers should be about building a long-term relationship. When too much emphasis is placed on the selling aspect of the relationship and not enough on support, customers will move on to your competition. Focusing on customer satisfaction (CSAT) through the lens of both pre- and post-purchase ensures customers are happy not only with the buying experience but also with the support and value they receive after the transaction.

Improving the customer journey throughout the entire pre- and post-purchase experience requires a strategic, customer-centric approach.

How to Improve CSAT Pre-Purchase

Pre-purchase CSAT focuses on the ease of finding information, the quality of interactions with your team, and the seamlessness of the browsing and purchasing process. Here are four steps for how to improve CSAT during the pre purchase process.

Streamline the Customer Journey

A smooth, intuitive buying process is essential for keeping potential customers happy. Complicated navigation or confusing checkout processes can deter customers from purchasing. Ensure your website is user-friendly, fast-loading, and mobile-optimized. Simplify navigation by using clear menus, filters, and search functionalities to help customers find what they need quickly. Reduce friction by minimizing the steps in the purchasing process. Some potential customers can be deterred from making a purchase when they’re forced to create an account. Consider offering guest checkout options to remove this friction point.

Provide Clear and Comprehensive Information

Uncertainty is a major obstacle to sales conversions. Make sure customers have access to all the information they need to make informed decisions. Ensure that product descriptions include enough detail and highlight key features, specifications, and benefits. Provide transparent pricing including taxes, shipping costs, and other fees upfront. Finally, be sure to address common questions proactively. Consider the Amazon model where past purchasers and reviewers of products are invited to answer questions posed by potential new purchasers.

Offer Excellent Pre-Sales Support

Engage customers through knowledgeable and approachable inbound call center channels before they make a purchase. Ensure your contact center team understands your offerings and can guide customers effectively. This will be even more important for big ticket products with some complexity such as appliances or vacation packages. This is where investments in contact center agent training and robust knowledgebases really pay off. Ensure your inbound call center solutions are consistent across channels in terms of response time and quality of responses, particularly on social media platforms.

Personalize, Personalize, Personalize

Tailor the pre-purchase experience to individual preferences to boost satisfaction by using data to provide personalized recommendations and targeted content based on customer interests. Amazon’s recommendation engine is a great example of how personalization enhances pre-purchase satisfaction.

How to Improve CSAT Post-Purchase

Now that you have the sale, the post-purchase portion of the customer journey really allows you to build the customer relationship. Striving to improve CSAT post purchase involves the effectiveness of product or service delivery, the quality of inbound call center support, and the overall value and experience after purchase. Here are a few tips for building loyal customer relationships that will go the distance.

Deliver on Promises

Meeting or exceeding expectations after a purchase is critical for customer satisfaction. This step begins with setting realistic expectations in terms of delivery times and quality standards. For example, proactively providing detailed tracking information and updates during shipping can reduce the number of inbound call center inquiries while gaining customer trust.

Provide Proactive Customer Support to Improve CSAT

Anticipating and addressing potential issues before customers complain demonstrates care and professionalism. Make good use of follow-up communications to check in with customers post-purchase to ensure satisfaction. For more complex products, provide step-by-step instructions or tutorials. And always notify customers of delays, recalls, or known issues promptly. Brands like Apple excel in proactive support by offering comprehensive onboarding programs for their devices.

Create a Strong Loyalty Program

Rewarding customers for their loyalty boosts satisfaction and encourages repeat business. Offering discounts, early access, or special promotions to loyal customers; tiered membership programs, or point systems such as Starbucks’ loyalty program encourage customers to stay loyal to your brand.

Ask for and Act on Feedback

Listening to customers post-purchase shows that you value their opinions and are committed to improvement. Send surveys to gauge satisfaction and identify areas for enhancement. Use customer input to refine products, services, and processes. Share improvements made based on customer feedback. For example, companies like Slack incorporate user feedback into their product updates, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.

Build Relationships

Fostering an emotional connection with customers strengthens their trust and satisfaction. Send thank-you notes or tailored recommendations and interact with customers on social media to keep the relationship active. Consider creating community forums or groups where customers can share experiences and insights.

Address Issues Transparently

When problems arise, addressing them openly can turn a negative experience into a positive one – and make your customers more loyal in the process. When mistakes happen, admit fault and apologize sincerely. Empower front-line call center agents to offer solutions including clear options for resolving the issue, such as refunds or replacements. Finally, ensure that promised resolutions are carried out promptly. By handling complaints with care, you can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates.

The goal to improve CSAT both pre- and post-purchase requires a comprehensive, customer-centric approach. By focusing on seamless experiences, clear communication, personalized interactions, and proactive support, you can ensure customers remain satisfied throughout their journey.

Remember, satisfied customers are not only more likely to return but also to recommend your brand to others. Investing in CSAT improvements is an investment in your company’s long-term success. Start implementing these strategies today and watch your customer satisfaction soar. For information about Advensus nearshore call center solutions, contact us.