Customer satisfaction: 7 ways to keep customers happy

Customer satisfaction is one of the most critical metrics for any customer-facing business to measure regularly. It reflects what’s going well and what’s not so well and highlights opportunities for improvement.

However, customer satisfaction in the UK is falling. According to UKCSI, ratings dropped 0.8 points between July 2023 and July 2024 and 2.6 points since their peak in July 2022.

This downward trajectory shows we need to do more to make customers happy. Keep reading to find out seven ways to improve customer satisfaction.

1. Ask for customer feedback

It’s impossible to know what customers truly want without direct feedback. While those within the business can speculate on their customers’ needs, an owner’s, director’s, or manager’s view will always be biased.

It is, therefore, key to ask the customer for feedback on their experience with your business.

Surveys are one of the easiest and most effective ways to gather customer information, allowing businesses to receive the most valuable feedback.

Email surveys are a great example. They can be standalone emails, or they can be integrated into transactional emails. Other excellent ways to collect customer reviews are:

• Ask for a star rating and a brief comment after a live chat session
• Create an automated phone survey for customers to opt in to after a phone call
• Request customer feedback via social media
• Make use of review platforms (like Trustpilot and Google Business)
• In-app surveys

Surveys should be brief and convenient. It’s best to avoid lengthy or too many questions and ensure that surveys are easily accessible without asking the customer to take too many steps to find or complete them.

Provided they’re executed correctly, customers are generally happy to provide feedback about their experience. Sometimes, an incentive encourages consumers to engage, so consider offering a discount or freebie in exchange for their thoughts.

This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to listen to customers and truly understand their needs, experiences, and expectations. These valuable insights are crucial for improving customer satisfaction.

2. Respond to reviews and take action

When asking for customer feedback, businesses must be prepared to take action once they receive it. Not every review will be 5-star, but it’s essential to take constructive feedback and do something about it to improve customer satisfaction.

According to research by BrightLocal, customers expect companies to respond to reviews no more than a week later. Most expect a response within 2-3 days. Why? People are considerably more likely to purchase from a brand that responds to all types of feedback.

The vast majority (88%) of customers value brands that respond to all types of reviews and are over 40% more likely to buy from them than those who don’t reply. Responding only to negative reviews comes across as an attempt to salvage a reputation, while replying only to positive ones ignores those who may have had a negative experience.

Acknowledging both good and bad comments displays authenticity. It also demonstrates active listening, genuine care, and a desire to improve customer satisfaction.

3. Make contact details easy to find

Some companies deliberately hide their contact details. This is understandable for small businesses, for example, which often lack the manpower to support a high number of incoming calls.

Larger companies might do this to save money, as it’s cheaper to have one team member handling multiple emails or chats than restricting them to one phone call at a time. However, hidden contact details are disastrous for customer satisfaction levels.

Not all queries require a phone call. Customers are often more than happy to reach out via social media or read the FAQs page instead. But what about more complex or urgent issues?

This is when people prefer to pick up the phone and receive instant support. However, making this process challenging creates a poor user experience and deters people from returning or trusting a brand.

To improve customer satisfaction, it’s vital to let customers know that help is available whenever needed. This involves making contact details easy to find (where they’d expect them, such as the ‘contact us’ page) and offering a variety of communication methods.

Phone lines, emails, live chat, and mobile apps are popular engagement channels. In-person assistance is also highly valuable. So, to boost customer satisfaction, retail businesses should make their addresses clear, too.

4. Respond promptly

Response times are one of the most crucial elements affecting customer satisfaction rates. Unsurprisingly, customers expect a speedy response when they contact a business, regardless of how they get in touch. But are you aware of how quickly they want a reply?

A response within one hour or less is best for email and social media support. For live chat, it’s instantly or no more than 40 seconds. Phone calls should be answered within 10-20 seconds.

• See also: The benefits of an out of hours answering service
• See also: 7 customer service KPIs your business needs to measure
• See also: Top tips for building customer loyalty

Responding promptly reflects that the business is attentive and reliable. It also shows respect for the customer’s time and shows that they are valued and heard. Therefore, answering customer queries swiftly is one of the best ways to improve customer satisfaction.

However, be careful not to become too focused on speed, as this can compromise the quality of customer service. Ultimately, effective support is more important to customers.

In a Kayako survey, a staggering 95% of respondents said they’d prefer slower support if it meant the quality of help was higher. Therefore, finding a reasonable balance between speed and quality is vital to enhance customer satisfaction.

5. Be honest and empathetic

Understanding how people feel is essential to improving customer satisfaction. Empathising with customers–especially if they are frustrated–humanises the experience, which can otherwise feel cold and disconnected.

We can all probably think of when we contacted a company and received a rigid and unhelpful response. An unresolved issue can leave us feeling aggravated, disheartened, and disappointed. This is often the case with larger companies, who may think they’re so established that they can stop trying.

But unhappy customers are bad news for any business, as they won’t return, and those loyal customers drive growth. Reputation is also delicate, and it doesn’t take much for poor customer service to shatter it.

Avoiding this is quite basic. Customers want to feel understood, so support advisers must put themselves in their shoes–no matter how small their query–and consider what they’d expect if the roles were reversed.

They should also be honest if they make mistakes, set realistic expectations, and follow through on promises. Transparency and empathy are key to improving customer satisfaction.

6. Communicate your values

Nowadays, customers consider a wide range of factors before deciding whether or not to commit to a brand. One of the most important ones is company culture and values.

People want to connect with the brands they shop with on a deeper level than simply choosing the cheapest price or the most convenient location. Genuine customer satisfaction is built on shared values, responsibility, and positive commitments.

In their Voice of the Consumer Survey 2024, PwC asked 20,000 consumers across 31 countries about what influences their purchase decisions. Astonishingly, most respondents said they buy more sustainable products with a reduced climate impact (46%) and make more considered purchases to reduce overall consumption (43%).

But that’s not all. Sustainability is so essential to the modern consumer that they are willing to pay nearly 10% more for eco-friendly and responsibly sourced products–even amid inflationary pressures.

Customers want businesses to demonstrate that their values extend beyond making money. They actively seek brands that are a force for good and strive to make the world a better place. Connecting with people through these strong values is a powerful way to improve customer satisfaction.

7. Use a telephone answering service

Finally, partnering with a telephone answering service can transform customer satisfaction levels. Unlike traditional call centres, telephone answering services pair businesses with dedicated virtual PAs who act as an extension of their brand rather than simply an external call handler.

Virtual PAs are customer service experts who know how to keep customers happy. They ensure that every query is answered promptly, professionally, and efficiently and effectively.

Most importantly, they’re emotionally agile, meaning they can empathise with customers and meet their needs.

Telephone answering providers offer various add-on services, such as managed live chat, diary management, and 24/7 support. This allows businesses to enhance their customer satisfaction even when they’re off the clock or on holiday.

By opting for a telephone answering provider, businesses of all sizes can ensure that they deliver a consistent, reliable, and exceptional experience that boosts customer satisfaction.

Prioritise customer satisfaction and keep your customers happy

With customer satisfaction rates dropping, businesses need to focus on making customers happy. But it takes more than simply answering the phone or offering the best price.

Brands should seek out and act on customer feedback, make it easy for people to get in touch, and answer queries swiftly. Customers also value companies that are honest and empathetic and actively promote ethical values.

If you’re looking for a trusted telephone answering partner to help you improve customer satisfaction, call the Bizik team on 020 3917 7444, or get your personalised quote and start your 7-day free trial.