Why is perception such an important part of Customer Service?

Perception is the ability notice or understand something. Similarly, customer perception refers to the customer’s opinion of your business or products. It summarizes how customers feel about your brand including every direct or indirect experience they have had with your company. In simple words, it is the complaints, praises, concerns, and feedback you receive about your business.

Kate Zabriskie said, “The customer’s perception is your reality.” In other words, a customer’s perception plays a vital role in the success of your business, customer service and much more.

Customer perceptions is important in customer service because it impacts a business’s bottom line. As a matter of fact, a SurveyMonkey report shows that 58% more people pay attention to a brand’s message, if they have been trusting it for a long time. Similarly, a Deloitte study research, published in May 2019, mentioned that repetitive customers refer to brands with which they have a buying history the same way they would their friends and family, using words like “love”, “adore”, “happy”.

Here’s why your customer’s perception is important to improve your customer service.

1. It enriches the brand value and brings more possibilities for business. When you are aware of your customer’s negative and positive opinion on your product, you can act on it, leading to a point where they rely on your brand to develop fun, engaging customer experiences.
2. It helps bring our directions where your customer service can go to. Qualtrics XM Institute’s research shows that A good customer service experience heavily impacts recommendations. Consumers who rate a company’s service as “good” are 38% more likely to recommend that company.
3. An Zendesk research shows that after more than one bad experience, around 80% of consumers say they would rather do business with a competitor. Consumers do not stay loyal to the price or the function of a brand. Rather, they are committed to the brand itself, which provides them with a unique and exclusive luxury experience which is why it is important to build your service on their perception.

This Kevin Stirtz quote, “Know what your customers want most and what your company does best. Focus on where those two meets” accurately highlights the utter influence and importance of customer perception on customer service in any business around the globe.

Now, how can a business influence customer’s perception easily and effectively enhance their customer service? It is simple, follow these tricks.

1. A unique presentation of your brand, ranging from the logo, UI, packaging to the lighting of physical stores creates an initial image for potential customers. Study by Zippa shows that 75% of people recognize a brand by its logo.
2. A customer service before and after the purchase, which is consistent, remarkable experience, which is worth reliving and sharing on social networks. A salesforce research shows that 72% of customers will share their good experiences with others, so, why not?
3. According to Bright Local, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2020. Therefore, marketing, and commercial activities are meant to attract, engage, and motivate consumers in brand sponsored interaction and experiences that will drive actions from them.
4. A Deloitte research study shows, in order to recommend a product or brand, people need more than mere company values and CSR promises, they need a strong, reliable emotional connection that helps shape their customer perception. Which is why it is important to Build friendships and create emotional bonds with consumers.

A Forbes research says that, 74% of consumers are at least somewhat likely to buy based on experiences alone which is why you need to influence customer’s perception positively, only then success can come your way. There are ways your can measure the customer’s perception of your business and accordingly change or alter your customer service.

Here are the ways to measure customer’s perception.

• Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys
• Monitoring online mentions
• Interviewing customers.

Kevin Stirtz’s quote, “Every contact we have with a customer influence whether they will come back. We must be great every time or we will lose them” easily explains why and how customer service and perceptions are co related.

The increasing important of brand image has increased the dependence of companies on their perception. Therefore, Customer perception should be central to every business’s customer service so that they can grow and thrive.