A Five-Star Experience with Katie Mares

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Top Takeaways:

• In this episode of Amazing Business Radio, Katie Mares shares the five steps to executing a 5-star experience.

1. Understand that what you say and how you say it matters. Choose words that elevate the experience. Speak to your customers in a way that is engaging and sincere.
2. Use your customer’s name. Dale Carnegie said, “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Saying their name is a simple first step in connecting with your customers.
3. Show your genuine interest. The customer keeps your business going and helps you live the life that you have by paying for your goods and services. Show up and show genuine interest to every customer.
4. Be anticipatory and deliver the “plus one.” Use the nuggets of information that you have about your customers to elevate their experience. It does not have to be something big or expensive. It can be a little extra effort that levels up the experience.
5. Be a hero. Service recovery should be part of the experience. We’re human, and we’re going to drop the ball. Consider a complaint or problem an opportunity to create an even better experience.

• Plus, Katie combines science and her business knowledge to explain how men and women differ when it comes to how they perceive their experiences as well as how they communicate and want to be communicated with. Tune in!

Quotes:

“A transactional experience is very utilitarian. It is focused on the facts and the practical aspects of the customer relationship. An interactional experience goes beyond that. It is focused on emotional shift that creates trust that leads to the purchase and the loyalty after that.”

“Women refer people that they know to a business 33% more than men. Women have the potential to influence 3 to 4 generations of purchases.”

“A woman wants to be acknowledged. Building rapport and having a conversation are important to her. When you take the time to create a genuine relationship with your female customers, you will build the connection and the trust that lets her know you will take care of her throughout the entire journey.”

“Break down the customer journey and at every touch point be aware of how you can elevate it in order to capture your customer’s heart, mind, and pocketbook.”

About:

Katie Mares is a brand experience expert and the author of CustomHer Experience: The Importance of Tailoring Your Brand Experience to the Female Consumer. She is the Chief Inspiration Officer at Katie Mares, where she helps brands design experiences for their customers.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:

1. What is the difference between male and female customers?
2. What is the difference between a transactional and interactional experience?
3. How do you deliver a 5-star customer experience?
4. How do you elevate the customer experience?
5. Do men and women have different customer expectations?