Rhonda Basler

Hallmark Business Solutions put forward Rhonda Basler, Director, Customer Engagement to share where she thinks customer support is headed in 2020.

Throughout the customer journey and employee career, there are defining moments that can foster engagement and brand advocacy. Hallmark’s B2B subsidiary, Hallmark Business Connections, will share how their clients are using those touchpoints to build and strengthen relationships for improved business results.

Jeanne Bliss interviews Rhonda to discuss how Hallmark Business Connections is helping companies build bonds with their customers — by extending their own products and services. A very intriguing dimension of a company we all know so well, and you’ll be intrigued to hear how customer experience is a key part of how they help companies grow.

Ask marketers why loyalty is important, and they’ll tell you it’s a great way to increase sales. Now ask a customer. Get the same answer? Not only do customers want quality products and services, they want to feel good about being your customer.

While businesses need to act with self-interest in order to survive and compete, the investment in customer experience pays far greater dividends in how customers feel about the companies they do business with, and it influences their long-term… Show more

Ask marketers why loyalty is important, and they’ll tell you it’s a great way to increase sales. Now ask a customer. Get the same answer? Not only do customers want quality products and services, they want to feel good about being your customer.

While businesses need to act with self-interest in order to survive and compete, the investment in customer experience pays far greater dividends in how customers feel about the companies they do business with, and it influences their long-term buying behaviour.

So it starts with you. How is your company demonstrating loyalty to its customers?

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It takes intense listening, intuition and empathy to uncover the meaning behind an interaction. After we uncover what is meaningful to the customer—often the emotional reason behind their outreach to us—we can empower our associates to convey that we understand what is meaningful to them and can tailor the customer experience to just them.

As you consider your next marketing strategy, show your valuable customers the loyalty you’re wanting in return. Think about giving them something that’s truly special and unique for valued customers – something better than the new customer deal. You’ll be on the road to realizing the revenue that can only come through customers.

Take a moment and think about a time when you had a memorable experience at a store or business. What details do you remember? What differentiated this experience from all the other daily interactions you have with businesses? It probably doesn't stand out because the shoes
you bought are now your favorite pair or because the shirt you were eyeing was out of stock. It's most likely memorable because of what you were feeling during the experience.

While the root of customer service… Show more

Take a moment and think about a time when you had a memorable experience at a store or business. What details do you remember? What differentiated this experience from all the other daily interactions you have with businesses? It probably doesn't stand out because the shoes
you bought are now your favorite pair or because the shirt you were eyeing was out of stock. It's most likely memorable because of what you were feeling during the experience.

While the root of customer service remains constant, providing exceptional customer care never goes out of style. Show less

Improving the customer experience requires both an internal and external shift
in an organization. This calls for change, which can be difficult to embrace, but
not impossible. I propose a shift that can power a culture change that drives
customer experience improvements. It’s a simple shift and is easy for employees
to willingly embrace: Stop simply serving customers and start caring for them.

When you empower your contact center associates to build and
create the relationships that turn customers into advocates, you’ll
know you’ve achieved success. It comes down to increasing customer
satisfaction and loyalty, and then going a step further to
create a tighter bond with your customers through personalized,
human connections—connections that not only deliver customer
brand advocates, but also bottom-line results.

Developing the right customer engagement program for any business requires forethought and careful planning. Balancing process with empowerment and providing your employees with the right tools and metrics for success is critical. You have to let employees create human moments, but they also need the appropriate tools, goals, reporting processes and training to ensure success.