“Do one thing every day that scares you.” –Mary Schmich
What do big businesses have to do with customer satisfaction or even attracting customers? A lot, apparently – the fact is that perceptions are reality and it is these perceptions that influence the beliefs of customers – both existing and prospective. How you portray yourself and your business (even if it is a one woman / man ‘army) is what will have a lasting impression on your customers. If customers perceive that your company is small, the impression they will carry is that it would be limited in its capacity to serve their needs and provide high class customer service. Customers prefer big businesses since they are assured of service whenever they want and however they want. Given these perceptions and preferences, it becomes tough for small businesses to compete with those that are actually larger, especially because they do have money and other resources to service the customers in the way that they would like.
Customers prefer big businesses because there is a perception of trust and integrity. This beats the fact that a small company is more adaptable, nimble and agile since there is less red tape, which normally hinders speedy service. The advantage of credibility and visibility is what makes customers prefer big businesses, which therefore discounts small businesses based on their size. In order to gain leverage and preference with companies, it is essential for small businesses to appear larger than they actually are – that is not about lying about the various aspects of your business but seizing opportunities and prospects at the right time. Customers prefer big businesses, and hence in order to portray an image of being confident, strong and large, small businesses can use a combination of top class customer service, updated technology, innovative marketing ideas and creative social media content.
Customers need to know that your needs and expectations will be taken care of and that the company you are doing business with can do this plus have a sound system to gather and protect their information and be able to provide customer service with a human touch. With so much help, anyone can start a company but in order to make it worth for the customer, it must be able to provide well for them. With time and with the right strategies, a small company can become large and this in turn will put customers more at ease. So how can a small business appear bigger than it is, till it actually does become big?
Customers expect to be responded to – swiftly and efficiently. When they don’t receive responses as they expect, they are quick to let others know of their ‘miserable’ and ‘unpleasant’ experiences with the company. So for small companies to appear larger, they must ensure that their responses to any kind of customer interaction is swift, efficient and on priority. We know that customers are constantly connected via smart devices and apps that ensure they can access whatever they want from wherever they are. Since customers prefer big businesses because they can provide service anywhere and anytime, it becomes crucial that a small business trying to appear large must be able to replicate this service. When you make customers your focus and priority, they will be more inclined to do business with you – irrespective of size. As a study revealed, some companies have been able to register huge percentages in growth simply by increasing their rate and speed of response.
The kind of customer service that customers receive is one of the deciding factors of whether they stay with a company or not. A small company can appear larger by ensuring that it delivers on its promises and provide the kind of service to customers that make it appear like a large company with strong relationships and growing. Customers prefer big businesses because they can provide this level of service and make good on the agreements and promises.
Customers prefer big businesses because their brands are visible and well-known. This puts small businesses on the back foot? Wrong! Small businesses can create a distinct place and niche for themselves by portraying their brand in a unique manner. It will be about connecting with the customers on an emotional level and ensuring that their brand is there for customers to make things easier for them, keep them happy and all those positive emotions which ensure that customers keep coming back to them. This is what will make even a small business stand tall and appear larger than it is in size.
In order to appear bigger since customers prefer big businesses, small companies must invest in tools that support their customers on-line and also enable self-service. This is possible via the company’s website and social media sites – on-line service and effectively running self-service portions of sites ensure that customers receive the service they need without ever comprehending that your company has a miniscule staff strength. If your small company is doing just as good a job as any, there is no reason why customers would not be drawn to it.
From the above point flows the next – which is that customers prefer big businesses because of their professional looking website. A company’s website is its ‘face’. Even a small business can convey confidence and appear large by having a website that is well-structured and has relevant and updated content. The website must be easily navigable, easy to use and have a call to action at the relevant places. With such a well-done up ‘face’ any size company can look better, bigger and more successful than it really is, thereby attracting more customers and increasing its chances of success.
If your company is small, it is a lot better to maintain focus on one particular market or customer segment. This will ensure that as your company serves them repeatedly and better each time, the impression they get is that your company is large since they would be receiving all the benefits and service that are expected from big companies. Customers prefer big businesses because of their ability to be omnipresent and by focusing on a particular segment a small business would also seem ubiquitous.
We have earlier discussed about the importance of interactive videos for better business and customer service. Small companies that are trying to appear larger than they are should invest in getting a professionally done video of their company’s products, offerings, service and overall qualities. This instils trust in customers and also attracts investors to fund such companies, making them actually larger than they are.
The other thing that makes big companies seem more professional and ready to go, is their email address. Small companies must learn from this and make their company appear larger by having slightly more complex email ids, which should include the name of their company. Mirroring the actions of large companies is a good way to appear like them and eventually reach the level your small company hopes to achieve.
Customers prefer big businesses since their leaders are always in the news for some reason or the other. These leaders speak at important gatherings, forums, as guest lecturers at various customer conferences and other such venues that are attended by investors, prospective customers and other market leaders. The leaders of small companies too must strive to be known as subject matter experts and people with forward thinking approaches. They can write or hire content writers to pen down their thoughts, perceptions and views of the market in order to showcase their knowledge and skills. Doing so puts them in the limelight and being able to garner attention always does wonders for a company.
Customers prefer big businesses because they are confident. This works well for small businesses too without the pride. Ensure that your company listens actively and attentively to its customers, offers the customers help and advice when required and takes the necessary steps to build relationships. When a small business believes in its ability to deliver and make customers happy, it will reflect in all they do and will soon be able to attract more customers just like big businesses.
