There comes a point in every business owner’s journey where they think, “Why is this so frustrating?”
Running our own businesses isn’t quite as enjoyable as we had hoped, and putting financial stress aside, we seem to be struggling day in and day out. We’re buried in emails. We can’t seem to stay on top of things. We’re constantly doing sales and marketing.
So our knee-jerk response follows one of two paths. Either we think “I’m simply not good at [insert skill here]” or “This is just what the hustle is all about.”
Regardless of which camp you fall in, you may be wrong.
Take a closer look at where you’re struggling with your business. How many of your struggles, in one way or another, link back to your customers? I’m willing to bet more than you would initially think and this means it’s time to address issues in your client experience.
There are three clear signs that it’s time to redesign your client experience, so you have happier customers, and doing business actually gets easier.
SIGN 1: Clients are asking a lot of questions
If you aren’t being proactive or clear in your communication, you’re making your clients work way too hard. Clients who have to ask about the next steps or for detailed information aren’t enjoying their time with you. And creating an FAQ document/page is not the solution. Instead, take a careful look at all your website and email copy to ensure you’re covering the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when, why (eh – throw in the how too!) in an accessible, digestible way.
SIGN 2: You’re constantly chasing tasks
Still in the grind, huh? Have you ever heard of the saying “building the plane while you’re flying it”? If you’re still building, it’s time to set aside time to finish the job. When you thoughtfully design your client experience, you will be able to create automations and templates that reduce the amount of work you actually have to do.
SIGN 3: You’re getting mediocre feedback
People say they like you. Maybe they even give you a five-star review. That’s good, right? Sure… but are they sending referrals your way? Are they giving you shout-outs on social media? Are they returning to do business with you? There’s a difference between followers and advocates. If you’ve been completing work and people are satisfied but not generating sales through their activities, you’re in the mediocre zone, my friend.
If you’re now sitting here thinking, “Oh, no!” – I have you covered. My Client Experience Mapping workbook will help you build a thoughtful client experience that delivers exceptional service and results. Check it out here.
