Customer experience: why it is deal breaker

  DUBAI - With thousands of restaurants offering the same thing, the game changer that often matters is customer experience, said Christine Bruton, marketing manager of UAE-based global quick service restaurant chain Chicking. "Businesses that focus on customer experience have a better chance of increasing revenues," Bruton said. In fact, research by American Express found that 60 percent of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience. Is your customer experience strategy good enough to put you ahead of the competition? Bruton shares her top three steps to success:

1. Have a customer-focused vision

Commitment to amazing service is part of Chicking’s clear customer service vision. Define your company's vision in order to create guides and training that will help your team deliver your customer-focused strategy.

2. Know your customers

Who are you dealing with? Understand what your customer needs and wants in order to better serve them. Data from sales, surveys and competitions will give you an idea of the patrons who contribute to your business.

3. Connect with customers

According to the Journal of Consumer Research, businesses get up to 85 percent more sales by making an emotional connection with customers. So how do you create this connection? It could be as simple as getting staff to greet returning customers by their name, or sending an email on their birthday. When customers feel that you care, they become more loyal to your business.

Loyal customers: in numbers

• 3 times likely to recommend your restaurant • 3 times likely to buy again • Less price sensitive • Less likely to go to other 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