This will improve efficiency with workflows that reduce redundant, repetitive tasks for your agents. See which channels your customer base prefers to use, then ensure you have the tools you need to seamlessly move conversations from channel to channel-this is what it truly means to provide omnichannel customer service.įinally, speed up response times by using email autoresponders and message templates. Next, invest in an omnichannel support solution like Zendesk to serve your customers in a variety of ways. Strengthen your customer support with a combination of tactics.įirst, provide self-service options (such as a knowledge base or FAQ pages) so customers can get quick solutions to simple problems without having to contact your support team. To maintain positive customer perception, your brand can’t settle with a mediocre or poor customer service operation. And if you find your company has a great reputation, don’t rest on your laurels-you’ll need to take steps to continue maintaining that standard. You’ll need a game plan to help you improve if your customers don’t view you in a very positive light. “Consumers are more likely to share poor experiences than good ones (and with triple the number of people).” Sam Chandler, senior manager of customer success at ZendeskĤ steps to improve customers’ perception of your brandĪfter collecting your metrics, you’ll know how customers feel about your brand. As a result, a customer may pay more for a competitor’s product to receive better service. But at the same time, your company’s support team is slow to respond and doesn’t offer a generous return policy. Say you offer the lowest price among your competitors and your product is high-quality. Other important factors may impact their perception of your brand and their decision to make a purchase. That might be the case, but these factors don’t guarantee that outcome. You might think if you offer a superior product or an unbeatable price, customers will naturally flock to your brand. Customer perceptions influence purchasing decisions.Chander believes brands should protect their reputation by “being in front of your customer perception and the narrative surrounding your CX.” In fact, we’re hardwired to find info that supports our preconceived notions-it’s called confirmation bias.”Įnough negative word-of-mouth marketing over time will solidify a bad brand reputation, and that’s no small matter. “It’s also important to remember that once people get an idea in their heads, it’s hard to change their minds. “We all know that consumers are more likely to share poor experiences than good ones (and with triple the number of people!),” says Chandler.

Their word-of-mouth depends on their perception of your brand. Or, they’ll encourage their coworkers to use a productivity app that slashed their work time in half.īut customers don’t always say good things. For example, they might tell their family about a restaurant that serves delicious pizza. Many consumers love to share their positive experiences with people in their network. Customer perceptions affect your brand image.Once you realize how much impact a single customer can have on your bottom line, their perception of your company will seem like anything but a small matter. That buyer might have gone for an upsell or cross-sell, or they may have remained a loyal customer and told their friends to buy your product. You might think it’s a small loss-just a single subscription-but that churn represents much more value. Say a customer becomes so frustrated with your brand that they decide to end their subscription with your business. Why is customer perception important?Ĭustomer perception is important because it impacts a business’s bottom line.

But you can’t control others like reviews and social media posts. You can control certain elements, including the quality of your product or service, the prices, and the customer experience. Factors such as social media, online reviews, pricing, quality, influencers, and CX all affect consumer perception. What influences customer perception?Ĭustomer perception is influenced by both direct and indirect interactions with your business. “Regardless of their actual experience, customer perception is all about how the customer feels about your brand and their interactions with you,” explains Sam Chandler, senior manager of customer success at Zendesk.

It plays an important role in building customer loyalty and retention as well as brand reputation and awareness. Customer perception is the opinions, feelings, and beliefs customers have about your brand.

Consumer perception definition