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What Is Total Customer Satisfaction?
Total customer satisfaction is a business strategy aimed toward ensuring that the overall customer experience is good, in addition to providing a quality product or service. This is particularly important when competitors offer similar or identical products or services for similar prices. The business that can provide the best overall experience will likely be more successful than the others simply because customers find conducting business there more satisfying overall. Adopting customer satisfaction as a primary business goal can sometimes be costly and difficult, but doing so is likely to pay off over time.
A business must, first of all, offer a good product or service if total customer satisfaction is to be achieved. Even if the customer is treated well and has an overall positive experience purchasing the product or service, he will probably not recommend or return to the business if the product is not satisfactory. A business must, quite simply, be good at providing the product or service that it offers or customers will not be satisfied overall.
Focus on customers is another important element, since a customer who is acknowledged, well taken care of, and respected will likely have a better experience. Poor service in the form of excessive focus on profits or efficiency over concern for the customer can undermine attempts to achieve customer satisfaction, even when a good product or service is offered. A customer who feels that a business cares only about the money and has no concern for him will likely not be completely satisfied.
In many cases, total customer satisfaction is a concern even after the customer purchases a product or service. Some services, such as Internet or phone service, are sustained over a period of time. Additionally, products may stop working properly, or a customer may have questions about how to use a product. Businesses that offer timely, helpful, and respectful support are much more likely to bring about customer satisfaction than businesses that do not offer support after a purchase.
It can, at times, be difficult for a business owner to know precisely what brings about total customer satisfaction. In such cases, many businesses ask for customer feedback through surveys or in conversations with managers. Doing so serves a twofold purpose: it allows the customer to provide valuable feedback that can be used to improve the overall customer experience, and asking for such feedback also tells the customer that the business is, indeed, concerned about his needs and opinions.
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![Some businesses use customer surveys to determine what customers like or dislike in order to provide total customer satisfaction.]()
By: zimmytwsSome businesses use customer surveys to determine what customers like or dislike in order to provide total customer satisfaction. -
![In order to attract and retain satisfied customers, a business should regularly assess consumer needs and expectations.]()
By: takaIn order to attract and retain satisfied customers, a business should regularly assess consumer needs and expectations. -
![Focusing on customers is important to their satisfaction.]()
By: Tyler OlsonFocusing on customers is important to their satisfaction. -
![Allowing customers to provide feedback is an important part of total customer satisfaction.]()
By: Adam GregorAllowing customers to provide feedback is an important part of total customer satisfaction. -
![Simply soliciting customer feedback shows the customer that the business is concerned about his or her needs.]()
By: leungchopanSimply soliciting customer feedback shows the customer that the business is concerned about his or her needs. -
![Positive feedback from satisfied customers can encourage productivity from workers.]()
By: Sandor KacsoPositive feedback from satisfied customers can encourage productivity from workers.
Discussion Comments
@irontoenail - I'd still rather go to a real life store. I don't think an online store can provide the same kind of services that a real life one can. Having someone there to ask about the product is invaluable if you aren't sure about your purchase.
I think that helps companies as well, since they are more likely to make a sale with a smile than they are with a five star rating on a product.
@KoiwiGal - I think it's particularly important for online companies because they can seem a bit faceless sometimes. No matter how many cute cartoons they put on their websites, it's not the same as being able to look a salesperson in the eye and know their name, so you can contact them in the event of anything going wrong.
I think to achieve total customer satisfaction organizations need to just be aware that they are dealing with people and that those people want to be treated like they matter. That's the bottom line.
This really is a very important aspect of business when you're in a crowded market. Making the right decisions here can earn you the loyalty of customers.
There's one particular electronics company that I know I can trust to match the prices of anyone else in the country. They deliver online orders so that they arrive within a week and sometimes even in the next day. Every time I've had a problem, they've fixed it within minutes of my contacting their customer services.
That's the kind of service that makes me want to keep going back to them. I'd prefer to work with a company that I can trust than another one which isn't going to give their customers the same satisfaction and service.
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