“One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.” – Jim Rohn

You are in business and your business is successful. Kudos! It is tough with the current market scenario and the growing list of competitors. In the flow of this success it is easy to forget the most important people for your business – the customers. They are the resource on and through which you have been able to build your business and make it successful. Without them the whole purpose of a business seems lost. Giving celebrity treatment to customers will be the difference between making and breaking this success.

Celebrity treatment to customers is a combination of all the best practices of the world of business and combining them with real life situations when interacting with customers. We all know how we would behave and act if an actual ‘celebrity’ walked in to our business – we would roll out the red carpet. Customers are our business’ celebrities and they deserve the red carpet treatment too and yes well treated customers guarantee repeat business and the vital positive word of mouth. As the market scenario and society becomes increasingly customer centric, customer service delivery par excellence is the need of the time. It is crucial in retaining and increasing the size of the customer base. Fairness, respect and importance are all ways of giving celebrity treatment to customers that will build their confidence and loyalty in the brand.

Business world can be intoxicating and more so if there is huge success attached to it and in this blur it is even more important to give celebrity treatment to customers, since they are ones that got you there. Paying attention to detail and anticipating their needs is what translates in to stellar customer service. It may be hard and needs a concerted effort to be sustained, but when done right you are guaranteeing your success even if the others around you are toppling over like a house of cards. Celebrity treatment to customers would be:

– Give them what they need, maybe even before they ask, and earn customer loyalty
– For the best and lasting first impression, serve out the red carpet treatment
– Under promise and over deliver – this strategy helps to generate an excited word of mouth spread of your services
– Pay attention to and treat your employees well. They are the ones through whom you serve your customers
– Improve processes and upgrade technology to keep up with every customer demand
– Put your customers interests at the fore and revolve the company’s strategies around them

If you have customers, you are already providing customer service. All that is required is to ramp it up a few notches and deliver celebrity treatment to customers, to build a reputation that would almost impossible to tear down. When thinking of how important customers are companies would benefit from remembering:

– For certainty – in revenue, business standing – repeat business would be the foundation
– Without this foundation the business would collapse and therefore focus on customer loyalty and trust
– No customers, no business
– The purpose of the business therefore is to meet and exceed the needs of the customers.

Customers know their value more than ever and are now unwilling to settle for less than celebrity treatment. The new players in the market seem to understand this strategy and are going all out in ensuring that their customers feel like VIPs in every interaction. So what should you do to deliver celebrity treatment to customers?

– Have a set of values and display them. Customers are more attracted and attached to businesses that stand for something since such businesses care. They care for their own reputation and in turn take the utmost care of their customers. When you care for your customers you make them feel important.

– Let all customers – existing and potential know of happy customer testimonials. Customers tend to believe a company more if their own competition, or peers or friends speak well of a company’s services. “I received great customer service from XYZ” is far more effective than “We treat our customers with respect” – XYZ company.

– Everyone seems to prefer things that mirror them. To attract and retain customers, know them, understand their needs and then personalize your service around those traits and those needs.

– While marketing and promoting your brand, use the promotional methods that would appeal to the customers. Use words that would mean something to them – new launch, faster, efficient, complimentary – are all words that customers love to hear. It would be easier to sell to them.

– Make it easier for them to do business with you. Allow them access to yourself through all possible communication channels. Giving feedback and even complaining should not remain a pain point.

– You don’t need to go overboard or upset your company’s budget in trying to get customers to keep coming back to you. Just making every interaction memorable and essentially providing celebrity treatment to customers will keep them with you and also nudge others in to doing business with you. Customers may not be quick to reciprocate your initial gestures. Keeping the customer service levels at wow consistently, will surely make them trust you and they will reciprocate that with huge investments.

– Do something nice for your customers even when they are not expecting it. For example – congratulate the customer on their accomplishment that was published in the news. This would lead customers to know that you are attentive to more than just the business they are giving and are interested in forging a strong relationship.

– Provide support to your customers whenever they need. Having a 24×7 contact center allows customers to get in touch with you when it is convenient for them. Have smart applications for their electronic devices that can communicate with you even on the go. Provide self-help sections on your website that could be related to troubleshooting problems of various kinds, providing feedback or be able to chat online with a service agent.

– Providing a high quality of service would be preferred to a speedy yet sullen interaction. Customers want all – courteous, friendly and supportive staff who are multi-skilled and knowledgeable.

– Respond to customers via the same platform that they choose to connect with you. You cannot expect a customer to be pleased, if he communicates via email and you reply via messaging service. Pick a channel that works best for both your company and the customer.

– Celebrity treatment to customers must be a company-wide effort. It cannot and must not be the job only of the front ending or customer service staff. Every member of the company must be on board and aligned to this ‘secret of success’ for it to be consistent.

– Reward your customers with loyalty programs. Let your most loyal customers know about products that are to be launched and let them be the first to decide and provide feedback. Give them freebies that matter and send out personalized messages thanking them for their support.

– Make your best customers feel and know that they are VIPs . Use smart strategies to get them to sign up for buying more by letting them know the various programs you have for customers. All humans like being ‘up there’ and feeling important and they will naturally want to opt for the program that puts and keeps them up there in the preferred section! Who doesn’t want to be known as a ‘Platinum Member or Privileged Member’ as opposed to ‘Member’? These strategies work and serve as celebrity treatment to customers.

Developing the core customer base through the methods of personalized service, freebies, VIP status and buying incentives are effective in making customers feel important and would be the key differentiator in attracting and retaining customers in a very competitive business environment.