5 Essential Customer Experience Management Tips

When you hear the phrase "customer experience management," what do you think of? Some people might picture a camp counselor rallying team spirit. Others might envision a cruise director guiding guests through the day's activities.

No matter what the phrase conjures, customer experience management matters. Cruise directors and camp counselors might seem like silly examples. But they're also experts at building much-needed enthusiasm.

Businesses can foster enthusiasm for their products and services, too. To start, let's explore five effective tips you can use to boost customer experience management.

Customer Experience Management Tip #1: Cut Down on Response Time

When customers run into issues, they expect to get answers—fast. Want to ace customer experience management? Take a hard look at your customer service response times.

This can be trickier than it seems. Today, most businesses use an omnichannel customer service model. Messages originate on a range of channels, such as:

• Email
• Phone calls
• Social media
• SMS (text messaging)
• Webforms
• Online reviews

Adding to the complexity, conversations with customers often start and end on different channels. If you calculate response times manually, you'll have to consider all of these factors.

CRM software changes the game by allowing you to automatically generate analytics reports. These reports provide snapshots of your business operations in real time. You can gain access to information such as:

• Which channels customers use for support
• How many channels customers use during a typical support ticket
• Which issues are most common
• How long it takes for employees to resolve issues

When you're armed with information, you can make changes that drive faster, more effective customer support.

Customer Experience Management Tip #2: Reach Out at the Right Time

There's a fine line between encouraging and nagging a customer who's considering a purchase. Companies that master customer experience management know exactly when to reach out.

If you use CRM software, segmenting your audience is as simple as a few clicks. You can create contact groups or establish criteria to streamline your outreach.

For example, try targeting customers based on where they are in the sales pipeline. Highly engaged prospects could receive outreach that anticipates common questions that can block purchases. These messages should look different than ones to past customers, or customers who have shown less interest.

From a customer's perspective, this process will remain invisible. Instead, messages will seem more thoughtful and personalized—creating a better experience overall.

Customer Experience Management Tip #3: Invest in a Chatbot

Picture this: It's dinner time on a Saturday, and you're using a new food processor for the first time. The only trouble is, you can't get it to start. Something is triggering a safety feature that's keeping the blades locked in place.

You check the manufacturer's website, but it's overwhelming to navigate. Suddenly, a window pops up in the corner of the screen. It's a chatbot asking if you need any help. On a whim, you type in your questions. And boom. Before you know it, you're watching a troubleshooting video that solves your issue.

Chatbots can be a powerful customer experience management tool. They're a convenient form of self-service that works well for FAQs and instant support. Even if a customer ends up needing human assistance, chatbots can still gather initial information.

If you plan to invest in a chatbot, you'll need to keep a few best practices in mind. Customers appreciate support chat that sounds human and uses UX best practices. Today, AI can even learn about your customers and personalize messages over time.

Customer Experience Management Tip #4: Create Loyalty Incentives

Companies that master customer experience management understand the value of customer loyalty. Some even offer special incentives that reward regular customers.

Consider the Starbucks app. The app fosters customer loyalty through a variety of features, including:

• Online, mobile ordering
• A tracker that displays points accrued through past orders
• A list of favorite orders for faster checkout
• Deeper insights, such as nutrition information or store playlists

When customers engage with a loyalty program, they feel noticed and valued. Of course, it doesn't hurt to earn perks along the way!

You don't have to be an international coffee chain to offer a great loyalty program. For example, dentists might build loyalty through referrals. Or real estate agents might host local events.

The key is to know what your customers enjoy and value—then get creative while designing your unique loyalty program.

Customer Experience Management Tip #5: Pay Attention to Your Online Reviews

Customer experience management doesn't end with a sale. One of the best ways to keep tabs on customers is by monitoring online reviews.

Because online reviews are public, it's important to stay engaged. Negative reviews need some form of resolution, while positive ones can be acknowledged with a simple message of gratitude.

Fortunately, digital tools can pull all your online reviews into a streamlined dashboard. Whether a review appears on Yelp, Google or any other platform, you can spot it and reply quickly.

With GoSite's mobile app, you can even get push notifications when a new review appears.

Want to learn more? Download GoSite's mobile app to see how seamless customer experience management can be!