HOW TO CREATE A LUXURY CLIENT EXPERIENCE AS A B2B COMPANY

As a business owner, you know retaining current customers is much less expensive than finding new ones. It’s a concept we always push with our clients: Focus less on constant lead generation and more on creating an unforgettable client experience (and amazing product) to keep your current clients coming back for more. 

Quality should always be #1. You already have a killer product, so how can you ensure the experience people have interacting with your brand matches that caliber? As business leaders, we have to think of ourselves as servants. At Nolia Roots, we’re constantly asking ourselves, how can we serve our clients better? A better client experience not only helps you retain clients but spreads word of mouth so that your new leads (who already trust you do a good job) are easier to convert.

I lead the drive at Nolia Roots to provide clients with a luxurious experience while they are working with us. This unique and high-end customer experience is based on deep understanding and trust between us and the client. 

When thinking about a luxury client experience, I like to equate it to buying a sandwich (stay with me for this one!). Imagine going to a fast food place and getting a sandwich: the sandwich might be good but the experience may be rushed, leaving you feeling unappreciated. 

Now imagine going to a high-end restaurant and ordering a sandwich: In addition to a delicious product, your experience should feel welcoming and personal with small touches of luxury. Maybe that luxury could be a cloth napkin or a proactive waiter. Whatever the extra touch is, it’ll make the experience feel more valuable (so you’re willing to spend more money) and it’ll make you want to come back for more. 

Let’s dive into what it takes to create a good client experience.

THE BASICS OF DEVELOPING GOOD CLIENT EXPERIENCE

UNDERSTAND YOUR CLIENTS VALUES

Knowing your target audience is key to a successful business and client experience. What do they value? What do they want to spend their money on? Why do they need it? What emotion do they want to feel when they interact with your product?

You wouldn’t try to sell a winter jacket to a person that lives in a warm climate, would you? No! In a warm climate, that person wouldn’t value a winter jacket because it would only take up room in their closet. This is a silly example but you get it – understanding what your client’s value is the first step to creating a good client experience. 

Interested in learning more about your target audience? Click here to read more and download a helpful worksheet that gets you thinking more about who your audience is.

EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES

Another way to achieve a high-end customer experience is by empowering your employees with brand knowledge. Teaching your employees the ins and outs of what your brand has to offer is more important than you may think.

If your employees feel connected to your brand, they’ll be more excited about your mission and it will reflect in their energy toward clients. From the janitor to the CEO, everyone at your company should know not just the products you sell, but the mission, culture, and values of the company. A client or customer that sees the authentic passion their liaison (your employee) has with your company will only get them excited to work with you more.

PERSONALIZED GIFTS

Personalized gifting can make all the difference in client relations and their customer journey. Even the smallest gesture of handwritten notes or personalized packages can mean the world to your clients. It not only shows that you deeply care for them as a person, but also that you took time out of your day to send them something as a thank you. You can also send a small gift to potential clients or clients that decided not to stay.  This small gesture is something that they will remember about your brand and keep in mind for the future.

OUR STEP BY STEP LUXURY CLIENT EXPERIENCE

To give you an idea of a luxury client experience, I want to walk you through a few examples of how Nolia Root’s client experience stands out. Our goal for our client workflow is to include extra notes of high-end luxury to make our clients feel excited and special.

TRANSPARENCY FIRST

First, we focus on transparency and going above and beyond. We strive to provide our clients with a level of expertise that goes beyond what is included in our proposals. One way we accomplish this is by sending them a monthly analytics and achievement report filled with what we accomplished in our partnership and what they have achieved as a business. This monthly check keeps the client in the loop and allows us to have a clear path on where to go next. 

To take it one step further, in these monthly reports we include POVs and trends within their industry that they should be planning for in both the short and long term. This simple task shows the client we are looking at media, looking at trends, and being proactive in what they can do (and what we can do for them) to be one step ahead. Our top priority is for our clients to sustainably grow their businesses, so this is an extra push to make that happen. 

CELEBRATE THE BIG AND SMALL WINS

As an agency, we love and encourage celebrating even the smallest of wins within our team. But, as a way to make our clients feel extra appreciated, we make it a point to celebrate their wins, big or small, even if we as an agency had nothing to do with it. Sending a handwritten note congratulating a client or sending a small gift or experience as a congratulation on their accomplishments makes all the difference and shows that we care for them on a personal level, not just a business level.

MEANINGFUL ONBOARDING & OFFBOARDING CLIENTS

Another key way our client experience stands out is through meaningful and clear onboarding and offboarding. For example, before a client joins and right before they leave, sending a small meaningful gift shows that our level of appreciation for them and their business goes beyond the immediate work. Also, leaving a good impression on a client makes them more likely to return if they need something else down the road. 

A previous client of ours hired us for brand strategy and new brand identity. In addition to helping her develop her unique value proposition, position in the market, and messaging, we also reworked her logo to match this new brand. In getting to know her through the process, we learned she had 2 boxers. So when brainstorming an idea for her offboarding gift we decided to send her two dog bandanas with her new color palette and logo on them to celebrate this next step in her business. Small but meaningful gifts like that make all the difference to a client.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

The last aspect of improving your client experience is listening to customer feedback. Listen to your customers when they discuss certain things that may be frustrating them. Some of the most frustrating parts of the B2B buying experience, according to McKinsey, are the ordering process (36%), finding the products which your company sells (34%), and technical issues with your online sites (33%). If you hear your clients complain about any of those steps in working with you, you may want to consider diving deeper into improving your client experience process.

Client needs and expectations are constantly changing and evolving. Being able to receive continuous customer feedback allows you and your team to understand and focus on what your client actually wants. Doing so allows you to build that trust and deep understanding with clients that make them feel appreciated. The key here? Ask! Constantly ask for feedback, even if you might not want to hear their answer. 

Having an outstanding client experience leads to repeat purchases and retainer clients (AKA, healthy business cash flow). The most important elements of having an excellent client experience are speed, personalization, transparency, and expertise. So how do you provide an excellent client experience? Comment below!