Contributor Clate Mask discusses simple ways new businesses can exceed their customers’ expectations in the article “5 Simple Yet Indispensable Ways to Wow Your Customers,” featured on Inc.’s website.

“All businesses work hard to gain customers, but for entrepreneurs and small business owners, the journey from a business idea in your head to an actual paying customer tends to be a deeply personal one,” says Mask in the article. “With all the work that goes into launching a business and securing customers, it would be a terrible shame not to take care of them in the best way possible.”

When it comes to securing customers, explains Mask in the article, smart businesses will work to consistently wow them, delivering more than what was promised.

“Wowing your customers involves going the extra mile to create a memorable, delightful experience that will create customers for life,” continues Mask in the article. “Satisfy customers by providing the service or product your customers pay for in a timely fashion. Then wow them by going above and beyond their expectations and provide additional value.”

In the article, Mask shares the following five ways to wow customers:

• Keep your promises. Do exactly what you said you were going to do. The first step to working your customers, notes Mask in the article, is to not upset them in the first place. The key to ensuring you always do what you told customers you were going to do is internal communication within your business. “Make sure everyone knows what was promised to the customer, and ensure all deadlines and deliverables are met,” asserts Mask in the article. “CRM software can be a huge help here in automating the process.”
• Follow up when not expected. It can be easy to wow a customer with the element of surprise on your side. “Particularly if you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, your personal touch can go a long way to building a longstanding business relationship,” shares Mask in the article. Call and ask customers about their experiences with your products/services, which not only lets you know early on if there are any problems with your products/services but also it helps boost customer satisfaction by letting them know you care.
• Give them more. Do more than what they expect from your business. For example, you could give them a free gift, such as a free wash for their next visit or a free add-on service, or you could offer them some sort of discount or rewards program. “Everyone loves to feel like they are getting a good value, and any little things beyond the norm that a business can offer to existing customers are a plus,” states Mask in the article, adding that this also comes from giving customers more help and support than they are expecting.
• Go for the upsell. Offer customers something that they might not know they need or want. This is the opportunity to upsell, but in a subtle way. Make sure your customers know all of the products/services you offer in case there is something they need or want that they didn’t know your business offered. For a softer upsell, why not offer them a free trial or sample of another similar product/service?
• Be thankful. Make sure to express your gratitude. “There are plenty of creative ways to thank people for their business, and it doesn’t have to be a complicated thing to make a big impact,” notes Mask in the article. “The key is to put in the effort and do it.” A simple way to show your gratitude is through a birthday or anniversary gift, which can include coupons or a free product/service.

Read the entire article on wowing customers here.