From Customer Service to Customer Surprise - The Difference is Using the Right Tools

Happy customers should mean happy business for all companies. Sadly, that does not seem to be the usual scenario in the business world. In fact, Studies show that many companies fall short when it comes to providing exceptional customer service. For example, in one recent study made by Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group, only 1/3 of consumers said that good customer service is still present. Another study reveals that only 7% of consumers have exceedingly experienced great customer service.

For companies to provide exceptional customer service, they need to invest in business intelligence tools. The power of mapping tools for instance will help them analyze their customers, give them timely insights to enhance sales and marketing plans, and will allow them to save time as they optimize logistics. Here are some of the ways how Topo.ly, an online mapping site, helps companies to achieve 3 major goals.

From Average to Awesome

One of the secrets to achieve the best innovative customer service is to treat the customers as "kings." Business leaders can do so as they offer surprises to their customers - something that they deserve and can bring lasting impression. How? The only way to do this is to know your customers. Do they like speed delivery? Do they like more variations in the products? How are they using the products? Knowing the customers takes time. When customers are analyzed using a mapping tool, it does not need to take long before the user identifies the needs of his customers. For example, when address locations are plotted on a map, users can initially view not only customers' locations but also the areas around. Are the customers near the competition? Are they located far from store outlets? Are their areas not on the usual store's delivery routes? Analyzing these factors will help business leaders to turn their average service to awesome service.

From Boring to Bold

There are different types of customers. Most of them are one-time customers, some repeat customers and others are loyal customers. The one-time type, as its name suggests, are those who just purchased a product or tried a service but for whatever reasons, simply stopped entering the store's door. If this customer type can be transformed to repeat customers, or much less to being a loyal customer, companies can smell success for a very long period of time. How? A little analysis may spice up the business. As companies create a map of their customers' data, they can add more data sets (factors). These factors - schools, hospitals, gasoline stations, insurance providers, restaurants, and many others - from different connections that may contribute to insights that can be used to turn "boring" details of company products and services to bold steps to provide customer surprises. When this step is taken, there will be new one-time customers, but expect to have more repeat and loyal customers.

From "Oops!" to Opportunity

Customers value true service with a heart. When customers experience calamities or disasters, a service provided at the right time and at the right place is more than necessary. Beforehand, companies are encouraged to create a map using topo.ly's heatmap feature. This tool allows them to view areas that may be affected by imminent calamity. Before disaster strikes or before the situation worsen, the companies can make the necessary adjustments to provide timely aid to their customers. When customers feel that companies are urgently willing to help them, most of the time, they will be showing their loyalty for many years to come.