Eight Customer Satisfaction Lessons Every Business Leader Should Follow

It’s true that customers who feel satisfied after an interaction with your brand are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend your product or service to others with positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals. However, the opposite is true as well. Unhappy customers also leave reviews — though they’re often less than complimentary — and then share these negative opinions with others.

It’s important, then, for any company to keep their customers returning happy and satisfied. To help, eight Rolling Stone Culture Council members share some key lessons all business leaders should learn when it comes to customer satisfaction.

Learn How to Fulfill Your Customers’ Needs

From the start, it’s imperative to have an understanding of the need state you are addressing. Data and analytics tools can help you understand your target consumers’ fundamental values and attitudes, giving you the tools to tell the story of why and how your product or service can fill a need. Doing this work upfront will create deeper engagement and the satisfaction your customers deserve. – Michael Klein, Trees Corporation

Create a Trusted Client Management Team

Great client satisfaction comes from a trusted, well-oiled client management team. Allow for trust to develop through outside-of-work social activities (e.g. client away days, training and charitable work). This can lead to more information being shared and, in the end, happier customers who feel comfortable sharing all their concerns and feedback. – Robbie Murch, BUMP

Think Like a Customer

Think from a customer perspective — not your own. What does my customer need? What does my cusomer want? Then, give it to them. Too many businesses are driving their bottom lines forward so aggressively that it becomes patently obvious to the people they target. That’s unappealing from a customer perspective and can ultimately alienate a brand. – Cate Rubenstein

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Listen to Your Customers’ Concerns

One way to gain customer satisfaction and trust is to (as Dale Carnegie says) be a good listener. Every time you talk to a customer, you want to give them the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and suggestions. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn about what’s making your customers happy, and how you can change areas where your service or product might be lacking. – Joe Hart, Dale Carnegie & Associates

Be Sure to Follow Up

A huge component in building customer satisfaction is creating processes for follow-up. If the customer made a purchase, follow up with a “thank you.” If they created a help ticket, follow up asking how they would rate your service. The more feedback and contact you have, the more effective you’ll be in building great customer service. In turn, this will also build customer loyalty. – King Holder, PROCUSSION

Use Data as a Guide

In today’s data-driven, technology-first era, it’s easy for business leaders to lean into the data and avoid speaking to the real people. Data is crucial for our business practices; however, it doesn’t always tell the full story. Use data to guide you, not as your sole resource for decision-making. – Amanda Dorenberg, COMMB

Always Be Learning

Markets and customers are constantly changing, which means that as a marketer or business leader, you must continuously learn new things and evolve with the times. Our cannabis and psychedelics marketing firm has dedicated researchers who monitor and compile the news each week so our clients can speak with authority on emerging legislation, trends and industry happenings. – Evan Nison, NisonCo

Make Great Customer Care a Business Value

Listening to the customer is a huge lesson all business leaders should learn. Your business will be much more successful if you offer something of value in exchange for a profit. The best businesses value taking care of their customers and go to great lengths to do so, earning trust and positive notoriety. – Christian Anderson (Trust’N), Lost Boy Entertainment LLC