{"id":41401,"date":"2020-03-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/customer-expectations\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T05:10:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T12:10:29","slug":"customer-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/customer-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Meeting &#038; exceeding customer expectations: an in-depth guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Happy and satisfied customers that\u2019ll stick with you over the long term. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s the ultimate goal for any business, right?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want to make sure your company is meeting\u2014and exceeding\u2014your customers\u2019 expectations in every possible way so they not only buy again but also spread the word through social media and referrals.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tricky part is that customer needs and expectations have evolved over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today\u2019s customers want personalized (and often instant) customer service and tailored experiences\u2014and they won\u2019t stick with a business that doesn\u2019t deliver.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, in a survey by Salesforce, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">76% of customers said<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cit\u2019s easier than ever to take their business elsewhere\u2014switching from brand to brand to find an experience that matches their expectations.\u201d<sup>1<\/sup>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, it\u2019s probably in your best interest to learn how to identify, meet, and effectively exceed customer expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this post, we\u2019ll look at:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Why is it important to meet customer expectations?\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is it important to meet customer expectations?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#How to identify customer needs and expectations\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to identify customer needs and expectations<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#7 ways to meet and exceed customer expectations\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 ways to meet and exceed customer expectations<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Examples of companies that exceeded customer expectations\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Examples of companies that exceeded customer expectations<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s get into it.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">Want to consistently exceed your customers&#8217; expectations? See how customer-obsessed your business is\u2014and where you can improve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/documents\/quiz_how_customer_obsessed_your_business.pdf\" data-id=\"69d09fb13b50e\" id=\"69d09fb13b50e\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:69d09fb13b50e.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\ud83c\udf1f Take the quiz<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">\ud83d\udc40 Ready to see how your business stacks up? <\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Take the quiz\">Take the quiz<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:69d09fb13b50e.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Enjoy the quiz! <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"Why is it important to meet customer expectations?\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 35px;\"><b>Why is it important to meet customer expectations?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the thing. You won\u2019t have a business without any customers, which is why it\u2019s important to make sure that you can generate customers and keep them coming back. Here are a few reasons that illustrate how important a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">happy customer<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just a few benefits of meeting customer expectations:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">It creates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/return-customer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">repeat customers<\/a>.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may have heard some version of this statistic before: it costs businesses <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least five times more<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> money and resources to acquire a new customer than it does to keep an existing one.<sup>2<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It doesn\u2019t take a mathematician to realize that a 500% increase in your marketing costs isn\u2019t something most small businesses would enjoy. That\u2019s why many businesses are making it a goal to provide <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exceptional customer experience<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep their customers coming back.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">It sets you apart from competition.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With such a competitive marketplace out there, customer service is often <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the number one thing<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that differentiates businesses in a customer\u2019s eyes.<sup>3<\/sup> This goes for getting new customers and keeping old ones.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So when you can prove to a customer that you understand and anticipate their needs, they\u2019re much more likely to choose or come back to you instead of shopping around to your competitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Word of mouth travels faster than you think.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One survey found<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that when a customer has a poor experience, they\u2019ll tell 15 people.<sup>3<\/sup> And when they have a good experience, they\u2019ll tell 11. That means that every single customer experience has a huge impact on your reputation\u2014especially if that experience leaves the customer with a bad taste in their mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Just take a look at these <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/customer-review-examples\/\">examples of customer reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe\" id=\"new-rc-subscribe\"  style=\"background-image:url('\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ringcentral\/assets\/images\/temp\/subscribe.png')\">\n\t\t<button class=\"close js-popup-close\"><svg class=\"icon_close_mobile\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon_close_mobile\"><\/use><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__wrapper_text\">\n<h3 class=\"rc-subscribe__title h2\">Stay informed with RingCentral<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__subtitle\">Subscribe to our emails for the latest blogs, events, and exclusive content on AI-powered communication solutions. Stay ahead with insights and tips from the leader in trusted AI communications.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/legal\/privacy-notice.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-dl-name=\"Privacy Notic\" data-dl-element=\"link\" data-dl-additional-info=\"social\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Privacy Notice<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__wrapper_form\">\n<form class=\"\" data-event-init=\"true\" novalidate data-js-form>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<input\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tname=\"email\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplaceholder=\"Email address *\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Must be valid email. example@yourdomain.com\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tminlength=\"4\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmaxlength=\"255\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttype=\"email\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequired\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpattern=\"[a-z0-9._%+\\-]+@[a-z0-9.\\-]+\\.[a-z]{2,}$\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"field__control\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tautocomplete=\"on\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-required=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-events-hover=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-element=\"email\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-additional-info=\"LET'S WORK TOGETHER\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Email address *\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-errormessage=\"email-subscribe-errors\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"field__errors\" id=\"email-subscribe-errors\" data-js-form-field-errors><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<select\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tname=\"Country__c\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequired\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"field__control\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-required=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Country *\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-errormessage=\"country-subscribe-errors\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t><option value=\"\" disabled=\"disabled\" selected=\"selected\">Country<\/option><option value=\"Canada\">Canada<\/option><option value=\"United_States\">United States<\/option><\/select><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"field__errors\" id=\"country-subscribe-errors\" data-js-form-field-errors><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"rc-subscribe__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type=\"submit\" data-event-init=\"true\">Subscribe<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"confirm-form\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\" style=\"display: none;\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"confirm-form__text\">Thank you for your interest in RingCentral<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a name=\"How to identify customer needs and expectations\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 35px;\"><b>How to identify customer needs and expectations<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you can beat your customers\u2019 expectations, you need to know what they are. But how do you know what those expectations are without being psychic? Let\u2019s look at a few ways to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ask your customers directly.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fastest and easiest way to understand your customers is to ask them. You can do this by sending out an email survey or doing one-on-one interviews via telephone or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/what-is-a-voip-phone.html\">VoIP phone<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a short-and-sweet email survey example from the airline AirAsia. When you click it, it leads to an optional extended survey with more questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3667\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1-81.png\" alt=\"Short-and-sweet email survey example from the airline AirAsia\" width=\"930\" height=\"658\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some questions you can ask in your survey or interview:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your experience with our company?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is there any way(s) that we\u2019ve exceeded your expectations? If so, please explain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is there any way(s) that we\u2019ve failed to meet your expectations? If so, please explain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would you recommend our company to others? Why or why not?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What can we do to help improve your experience?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an added bonus, asking your customers about their experience (and of course offering solutions to any issues they might be having) is an excellent way to show them that you actually care about their needs and expectations. It\u2019s a win-win.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Ask your customer service team.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another simple way to understand what your customers want is to talk to the people who are already dealing with them every day. Your customer service team is one of the most valuable sources of customer information you have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask them questions like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do our customers love about us? Which expectations are we already meeting?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the top three issues, complaints, or concerns that you hear from our customers?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you think we can shift the customer experience to do more things they love and less things they don\u2019t?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can, have an in-person or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/how-does-a-virtual-phone-call-work.html\">virtual call<\/a> where your customer service team can share their thoughts and experiences. With RingCentral&#8217;s free <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/free-conference-call.html\">conference call services<\/a>, meetings like this are made simple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-teamwork\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customer service teamwork<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A real-time conversation tends to be the best way to figure out the highest priorities based on how often different team members bring them up (and how passionate they are about them). If you can\u2019t have a group meeting, try sending out a survey or have one-on-one meetings either in person or via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/video-call.html\">video call<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And while you\u2019re at it, ask your employees how you can make their experiences better too! It\u2019s easier to have satisfied customers if you\u2019ve got a happy team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Do some competitive research.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put on your detective hat and do some investigating. What are customers saying about your biggest competitors online? What are they absolutely raving about\u2014and what attracts complaints? See where your company compares in terms of the specific incidents and business model elements that you find. What aren\u2019t you doing yet that you can implement?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few places you can look:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their own websites (but of course, be aware that those reviews might be a bit biased!)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Company social media accounts, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Third-party review sites, like Google Business, Yelp, Angie\u2019s List, and Foursquare<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This example of a pizza place shows that the reviewer likes a lot of toppings and minimal grease. If you were a pizza restaurant that cared about attracting a health-conscious target audience, you could add this to your checklist of possible ways to make your customers happier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3668\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3-56.png\" alt=\"Pizza review\" width=\"905\" height=\"336\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have a solid idea of what your customers\u2019 needs and expectations are, you\u2019re set up to do an awesome job of meeting and exceeding them. Let\u2019s look at some ways that you can do that.<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"7 ways to meet and exceed customer expectations\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 35px;\"><b>7 ways to meet and exceed customer expectations<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">1.\u00a0 Use the element of surprise.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meeting customer expectations is great, but we\u2019d argue that one of the ways to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exceed <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">expectations is by, well, surprising your customers in ways they didn\u2019t expect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, throw a party and invite all your customers. If they\u2019re typically a 9-to-5 crowd, opt for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon or evening to maximize their availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make them really feel appreciated, personalize the invitation\u2014for example, by sending a direct message on social platforms (if you&#8217;re connected) or through email.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tools like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eventbrite<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have custom email invitations, built-in social sharing, and other targeted promotions that businesses can use to spread the word about their events:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3669\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2-68-542x1024.png\" alt=\"Sewing workshop event\" width=\"542\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><strong>Pro-tip:<\/strong><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose a party theme that\u2019s in line with your customer needs and expectations. For example, if you own a vegan or wellness store, don\u2019t surprise customers with a BBQ or cocktail party. Organize an apple-picking event or a green tea tasting instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">2. Improve your response time.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your customers ask a question, make sure to respond in a timely manner. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HubSpot says<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that 82% of consumers look for an <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">immediate<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> response from brands on marketing or sales questions.<sup>4<\/sup> So, you know, no pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3670\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-41-1024x753.png\" alt=\"PRX Performance immediate response on an Instagram comment\" width=\"840\" height=\"618\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And if your customers seem to be frustrated about a specific issue, don\u2019t just send them to your help page with a generic message\u2014write a response that offers a direct resolution for them that requires minimal work on their part.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By helping customers instead of just pitching your products all the time, you\u2019re proving your business is determined to meet <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">their<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> needs and expectations\u2014not your own.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">3. Provide a seamless experience across all channels.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t expect customers to look at your business and see all your different teams and complex processes and workflows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Meaning\u2026 you can\u2019t expect them to just understand nitty gritty details like why your <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/call-center.html\">call center<\/a> staff isn\u2019t aware of the info they gave your social media team in a Facebook conversation the day before.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This makes it crucial to have an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/omnichannel-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">omnichannel customer service<\/a> or communications system in place so that you can give customers a consistent experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, sometimes a customer may want to take their conversation from an online chat over to a phone call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why businesses should have a tool that lets you have conversations with customers on the channels of their choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/contact-center\/overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral Contact Center\u2122<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lets you do this, and it even keeps a record of your call logs and communication history. This will help everyone on your team know why this customer contacted you and what they\u2019re expecting:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3671\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3671\" style=\"width: 722px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3671 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-49.png\" alt=\"RingCentral Contact Center call logs and communication history\" width=\"722\" height=\"602\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3671\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/contact-center\/overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RingCentral<\/a> lets you provide a customer experience that\u2019s consistent across various channels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sixty percent of consumers change their contact channel <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">based on where they are and what they\u2019re doing.<sup>5<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By meeting them on the channel of their choice, you can show them that you respect their time and preferences\u2014and create a more unified, cohesive experience for your customers. Less time wasted on repeating information, more happy customers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">4. Don\u2019t make promises you can\u2019t keep.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Naturally, you want to stand out from the competition and offer the best price or customer service, but you have to be realistic when there\u2019s a chance you can\u2019t deliver on your promises. Once that trust is broken, it\u2019s hard to get back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, think about next-day delivery or shipping. National holidays and high-traffic periods can delay same-day delivery, the same way national disasters like floods can limit a courier\u2019s ability to meet the expected delivery date.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to avoid these situations is to avoid locking down expectations unless you\u2019re sure you can deliver.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a customer wants a solution presented by next week but you aren\u2019t 100% sure if it\u2019s doable, don\u2019t say yes. Tell them that next week is possible, but you\u2019ll solve their problem within 10 days at the latest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only will this give you some breathing space, but it also means your customers won\u2019t be disappointed by a promise you weren\u2019t certain you could fulfill in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">5. Get personal.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s nothing more impersonal than using a standard, one-size-fits-all marketing message for your customers. This might have worked back in the &#8217;90s, but it won\u2019t fly today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumers want companies to see them as individuals and present tailor-made offerings. In fact, Epsilon\u2019s research found that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">80% of consumers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are more likely to shop from brands that offer personalized experiences.<sup>6<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does this mean for your business? It means that to meet your customers\u2019 needs, you have to offer an experience that\u2019s customized to their preferences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few things you can do to achieve that:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Use their names:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Knowing and mentioning your customers\u2019 names sounds simple, but the gesture makes a big impact in terms of building relationships and trust.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research shows<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that people experience enhanced brain activity when they hear their names, and the experience is more memorable.<sup>7<\/sup> No wonder brands like Starbucks place so much emphasis on remembering their customers\u2019 names.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Set up a loyalty program<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Based on your customers\u2019 unique spending habits, you can allow them to unlock special rewards or other discounts with you once they reach a certain milestone. For example, a dessert shop might give a customer a free cookie on their 50th visit. You could say something simple like, \u201cThanks for being a regular. Your cookie is on us today!\u201d This is the kind of thing that brightens up customers\u2019 days and helps you exceed the average person\u2019s customer experience expectations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Stay in constant contact:<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you want to keep in touch with customers, don\u2019t make them do the work. It\u2019s your responsibility as a business owner to take care of your clients\u2014both before as well as after the sales process. Make sure to strengthen your relationships by offering small gifts, sending personalized content, and maybe even featuring them in feel-good campaigns that build a sense of community around your brand.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">6. Help your customers help themselves.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your customers have a need for speed (and most do), you need to give them a way to figure it out by themselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From troubleshooting guides to self-checkouts and self-serve options on phone menus, there are more ways than ever for people to resolve their issues themselves. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forty percent of cons<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">u<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will only reach out to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer support<\/a> after they\u2019ve researched their questions on a website.<sup>8<\/sup>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The catch is, you have to be strategic about it and create self-serve resources that customers would want to use. Here are a few ways to do that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Create a chatbot.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chatbots provide unique responses based on the conversations they have with your customers. The conversation typically starts with letting customers choose what they have a question about. Then the chatbot presents a list of potential answers or subtopics that may be relevant to the customer\u2019s question. Using free tools like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BotStar<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can set up a chatbot for both your website and Facebook Messenger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3672\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-29-1024x551.png\" alt=\"BotStar chatbot website and Facebook Messenger\" width=\"840\" height=\"452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/create-knowledge-base\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Set up a knowledge base.<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of a knowledge base as an encyclopedia dedicated to your products or services. All the answers that customers might need should be right at their fingertips. For example, <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/support.ringcentral.com\/s\/?language=en_US\">RingCentral\u2019s knowledge base<\/a> provides answers to the most common questions people ask about our <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/contact-center.html\">contact center<\/a> solutions: <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44691\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/company-knowledge-base-example.png\" alt=\"company knowledge base example\" width=\"1000\" height=\"570\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Leverage an AI Receptionist.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Unlike static self-service menus, tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/ai-receptionist\">RingCentral\u2019s AI Receptionist<\/a> provide a dynamic self-serve option by interacting with customers in real-time. It can answer common questions, direct callers to the right resources, and even schedule appointments\u2014all while maintaining a conversational tone that feels personalized and intuitive.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Offer community forums.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although your self-serve resources should largely consist of content owned by your company, you might also consider creating an online community for your customers, like a message board or forum. Here, customers can talk to each other about how to use your product, business challenges they\u2019re facing, and build a community that\u2019s super valuable for you. (Got ideas for product updates you want to run by some people? This is the place to do it.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/community.ringcentral.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral Support Community<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, for instance, is a place for our customers to share ideas, chat, and connect with others who are passionate about finding new ways to communicate and collaborate:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3674\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image9-19-1024x638.png\" alt=\"RingCentral Support Community\" width=\"840\" height=\"523\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">7. Involve your customers in the development process.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who knows your product or service better than your customers? They are the people who buy and use what you\u2019re offering, so you should definitely ask them what they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to research, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">77% of consumers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> view brands more favorably when they seek out and apply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer feedback<\/a>.<sup>9<\/sup>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can collaborate with your customers through a variety of channels including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Social media platforms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Conduct polls on Facebook and Twitter to collect feedback and ideas for a new product.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>Messaging communities (think WhatsApp groups)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Start threads to pick people\u2019s brains on trends and technologies that you otherwise would have purchased through costly reports.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; padding-bottom: 10px;\"><b>In-store collaboration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Empower customers with the ability to customize the design\/color\/shape of the product (think Build-A-Bear or <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medley furniture<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"Examples of companies that exceeded customer expectations\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 35px;\"><b>3 examples of companies that exceeded customer expectations\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some companies have built entire businesses on exceeding customer expectations. Here are three examples\u2014along with ideas you can steal:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">1. Picky Bars Club<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Picky Bars Club is a subscription box business that sends healthy granola-style bars to customers on a monthly basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you sign up to the \u201cPicky Club,\u201d you get regular deliveries as well as several perks, like opportunities to try new flavors. One of the most intriguing perks is the bundle of surprise goodies the company sends (whenever they feel like it):\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3675\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8-25-1024x500.png\" alt=\"Picky Bars Club, a subscription box business, sends healthy granola-style bars to customers on a monthly basis\" width=\"840\" height=\"410\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The surprise factor probably has the most appeal, as customers never know what they\u2019re going to get and when they\u2019re going to get it.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A surprise doesn\u2019t always need to be a free item. Businesses that show appreciation with simple, handwritten thank-you notes also get mentioned in positive reviews, social media conversations, and friend referrals. If you don\u2019t have the resources to design handwritten notes, you can look into a service like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vistaprint<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">2. PawTree<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PawTree is a pet nutrition company that makes customized treats for dog <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cat owners. With two different customer segments, personalized marketing can sometimes be challenging to execute, but the company has a clever solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On its Pet Profile page, PawTree has a pet detector that allows pet owners to assess their needs and goals, as well as what products they should buy for their pet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3676\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image11-13-1024x669.png\" alt=\"PawTree pet detector personalized newsletter\" width=\"840\" height=\"549\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t get this level of personalization with something like a simple article or newsletter. But that bit of extra thought and care goes a long way in creating a cool customer experience that people will remember.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">3. Dresden<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dresden is a retailer that makes upcycled sunglasses and eyeglasses from old fishing nets and plastic waste. The company then sells the finished pairs at affordable prices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides selling great products, Dresden also offers an interesting co-creation opportunity. Unlike other eyewear companies that sell pre-designed merchandise on their shelves and websites, Dresden lets you design your own pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3677\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image10-16-1024x438.png\" alt=\"Dresden lets customers design their own pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses\" width=\"840\" height=\"359\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can do it\u2014and if your product or service would benefit from this level of customization\u2014give your customers the opportunity to create their own products (especially if you cater to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/consumer-packaged-goods\/our-insights\/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">younger demographics who expect individuality<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 35px;\"><b>Meeting and exceeding customer expectations isn\u2019t optional anymore\u2014it\u2019s a must<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today\u2019s customers expect businesses to go the extra mile in order to meet their needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re running a product-based or service-based business, the way you approach your customers directly impacts their perception of your company.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is that great customer experiences can help you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/happy-customers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">make customers happy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and bring in more business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By personalizing your interactions, being thoughtful, and anticipating what your customers need before they tell you, you can build a reputation on exceeding your customers\u2019 expectations\u2014and nurture lasting relationships that\u2019ll take you through both good and challenging times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><sup>1<\/sup>salesforce.com\/research\/customer-expectations<\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup>forbes.com\/sites\/jiawertz\/2018\/09\/12\/dont-spend-5-times-more-attracting-new-customers-nurture-the-existing-ones<\/p>\n<p><sup>3<\/sup>businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20171215005416\/en\/WellActually-Americans-Customer-Service<\/p>\n<p><sup>4<\/sup>blog.hubspot.com\/sales\/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw<\/p>\n<p><sup>5<\/sup>pages.newvoicemedia.com\/rs\/newvoicemedia\/images\/inner-circle-guide-to-multichannel-customer-contact.pdf<\/p>\n<p><sup>6<\/sup>us.epsilon.com\/pressroom\/new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences<\/p>\n<p><sup>7<\/sup>ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1647299<\/p>\n<p><sup>8<\/sup>zendesk.com\/resources\/searching-for-self-service<\/p>\n<p><sup>9<\/sup>info.microsoft.com\/rs\/157-GQE-382\/images\/EN-CNTNT-Report-DynService-2017-global-state-customer-service-en-au.pdf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy and satisfied customers that\u2019ll stick with you over the long term. That\u2019s the ultimate goal for any business, right?\u00a0 You want to make sure your company is meeting\u2014and exceeding\u2014your customers\u2019 expectations in every possible way so they not only buy again but also spread the word through social media and referrals. The tricky part &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1145,"featured_media":41413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901,4],"tags":[14857,743,18026,15541,18044],"class_list":["post-41401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","category-customer-experience","tag-customer-expectations","tag-customer-experience","tag-customer-journey","tag-cx","tag-exceeding-customer-expectations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Guide to Meeting &amp; Exceeding Customer Expectations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to identify, meet and exceed customer expectations with proven strategies. Improve customer experience and build lasting loyalty.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/customer-expectations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meeting &amp; exceeding customer expectations: an in-depth guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to identify, meet and exceed customer expectations with proven strategies. 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