Every experience someone has with your brand contributes to the perception they form about your brand. If you want these experiences to nudge people closer to a purchase decision, you need to deliver on what you promise.
Like billions of online shoppers, I placed an order for delivery before the holidays. Nothing extravagant; it was a battery operated dinosaur for my grandson.
I was given a delivery date. When the date arrived and the item didn’t show up, I followed up with the vendor. It’s not uncommon for delivery to take longer during one of the busiest times of the year. I accepted that fact. The vendor responded apologetically and promised a new date. When that date didn’t produce my item, I followed up again, maybe a little less understanding this time. No response. I think you can guess how this story goes.
I no longer trusted the seller. I started to think I’d been scammed. I asked for my money back. I escalated my follow-ups. I responded negatively to reviews. I was frustrated!
I eventually got my delivery, two months after the original date. Will I deal with this vendor again? No. They lost my trust.
Trust builds loyalty
Make your brand one people can trust. These tips and examples will get you started!
1. Deliver what you promise.
Unless your marketing messages clearly say ‘items may not be exactly as shown’, send what the customer ordered. You should never market items you don’t sell. If you’re out of stock, indicate out of stock and provide a refund if the wrong items was shipped. No one likes to return what they didn’t order
2. Keep the lines of communication open.
When there’s no communication, your mind starts making assumptions. Negative thoughts are a way to protect ourselves from disappointment. If you didn’t expect an item to arrive in the first place, you can’t be disappointed when it doesn’t. Right? The reason for a delay may be out of your control — transportation delays, cross border inspections, weather conditions, etc. However, the ability to keep customers up-to-date is totally in your control. Don’t lose touch with your customer!
3. Manage expectations.
Is your product a functional one? Does it require assembly installation? By clearly outlining what a customer can expect you build trust in your ability to deliver. If a customer should expect a call from a third-party to arrange delivery, make sure you let your customer know who will be calling. If installation is included with your product, or the old product will be taken away, let them know. I recently ordered new furniture for my living room. The store salesperson let me know in advance that delivery would be free to my front door but it would cost an extra $50 to have it placed inside my house. Knowing this, I can make the necessary arrangements to move the furniture, if needed.
4. Don’t over promise.
There are times when acquiring new business is exciting. You might be tempted to over promise what you can deliver. If you’re providing an estimate for your work, it’s helpful to add a little more time to compensate for unexpected events. It also alleviates disappointment if the job you’re doing is delayed.
5. Be transparent. Tell the truth.
Oops! You’re digging a trench for a new sprinkler system and you accidentally hit a utility line. Not good. Owning up to this misstep and letting the customer know immediately what it will take to remedy the problem is a best practice.
6. Build strong relationships
Building positive relationships will help you build trust and loyalty. Show your customers you care by following up on a project while it’s happening or after it’s completed. The customer will appreciate you actions and the feedback you receive will help you build a strong brand!
Building trust builds loyalty and loyalty grows your business! “Trust me” might reassure your customer, but actually demonstrating you can be trusted goes much further!
Trust me!
Writing for you. 