The Psychological Needs of Customers
As keynote speaker Tabatha Coffey will discuss in Nashville in October, successful tanning business rely on a lot more than just tanning. Good business is also about providing an experience that makes the customer feel good. Just like most people don’t buy iPhones for their utility, they come to you for more than tanning, whether they recognize it consciously or not. A recent article from Inc.com takes it a step further, discussing customer needs and how you can address them from a psychological viewpoint. Meet these needs and customer service will be no problem:
The Need for Attention
Never make the mistake of letting the customer feel unappreciated or unattended to. Make them feel ignored for just a moment and you could lose them forever. Ask yourself “How can I let this buyer know I am focused on them in a welcoming (not intimidating) way?”
The Need for Affection
Everybody wants to feel loved, and customers want to feel like they mean more to you than their money. Show them affection by providing little extras, whether it’s goods or service. Make sure you’re giving them the right products and services to meet their needs, not just what will make you the most money. Ask yourself, “What will show this person I respect them and care for their comfort?”
The Need for Appreciation
Everyone likes to be thanked. Take the time to reach out to clients with occasional personalized messages, whether via email, Twitter, or handwritten note. Ask yourself “What will show this person I appreciate their time, attention and consideration?”
The Need for Acceptance
If you can make an emotional connection with the customer, he or she will probably be a customer for life. To do this, you need to embrace them personally, and accept them for who they are. This is easy to do with a polite customer that spends a lot of money with you, but not so simple when dealing with angry, emotional, or overly thrifty clients. The challenge is to relate to, remain calm with, and not judge clients despite their flaws. Ask yourself, “What will show this person that I am willing to meet them where they are?
