Guest Blog – Treat your client experience like a holiday

Thank you to Bella Hegarty for writing this brilliant guest blog for us! You can find more about Bella’s business here.

Think about your best holiday experience and what gave you those lasting memories.

  • What were the expectations you had before you arrived and what was it that exceeded those expectations?
  • What made you feel at ease when you travelled to your destination and throughout your stay?
  • Were there any hidden gems that completely blew your mind?

Now I have to ask… Have you ever thought about your client journey as a travel experience?

As service providers, we still create an experience for our clients and should always consider the ways that we can elevate it to beyond their expectations,

In doing so this significantly increases retention and referral opportunities creating advocates out of our clients.

Without refining and revisiting this as you grow can result in that feeling that something is missed, clients become frustrated and can ultimately damage your reputation.

Thinking About Your Holiday

So a challenge for you – have a think about your best holiday through 4 different areas:

  • Communication – Did you know what to expect before you arrived and had a point of contact during your stay?
  • Content/Destination – While you were there, what was the experience like? What was the quality of the location or destination?
  • Results/Feeling – What was that moment that you thought, WOW this is the best holiday I’ve ever been on, and why was it so significant?
  • Feedback – Did you give feedback positive or negative about your experience, how could they improve even more?

Rewind back to your business.

Let’s take a look at your current client experience through these 4 areas and help you audit your experience through your clients eyes, in order to meet and exceed their expectations.

Communication

Understanding the channels and points of communication is essential in creating and managing your clients expectations,

It is important to clarify and ensure that they are aware throughout the buying process what they are actually purchasing and what they will receive.

Throughout the journey how do they reach out? Make sure there are clear touchpoints, not too many that it is overwhelming, and ways for them to get in touch with you.

Content

Here we are looking at the information, deliverables and those extra touches! No matter what your service or package it has to be of quality, value and exactly what they need.

We could offer a great experience but if your client comes out at the end and says- the service was great and working with Joe Bloggs was great and that’s it..

Doesn’t quite make a testimonial that shouts about your expertise.

Results

What is that point in your journey that gives your clients that WOW moment?

Could be on the delivery of the assets, the mindset shift or the point where they say.. I know what I need to do now.

Ensuring the success of results along with the previous points is the key to testimonials & creating advocacy among your clients.

*Lil tip*- when asking for testimonials make sure they talk about the transformation/ what they have been able to achieve from working with you.

Last but not least…

Feedback

Asking your clients for feedback can enable two things:

  1. A gateway to obtain testimonials and reviews in a way that doesn’t feel awkward
  2. Gives you an opportunity to understand how to further improve and elevate your experience.

An incredible holiday experience leaves a lasting memory and often makes us go back for more.

I know that the services we offer to our clients have the ability to do the same.

Once you’ve audited your experience please get in touch with me. I would love to chat and help you to create the ultimate client experience.


About Bella Hegarty

Bella is your client success and retention partner! Living in the pyrenees, adventure describes Bella in a nutshell, she is dedicated to continually exploring the possibilities of elevating client experience.

For Bella it’s the small touches…

A warm greeting, bottle of wine/champagne on arrival, the sunsets from a balcony, an exceptional adventure.. Why can’t these same touches be applied to the services that your business offers to your clients enabling them to want to come back for more?

Having deep experience within the private travel and hospitality sector for 8 years, she has been at the core of providing a beyond 5* service and witnessed how a personalised and elevated client experience is vital to the longevity and future of businesses.

She helps coaches, consultants and service providers to transform their clients into advocates for their business, allowing them to gain back time and have consistently happy clients that know the value they bring.

You can get in touch with her through:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/bella-hegarty-digital

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellahegartydigital

Email: hello@bellahegartydigital.com

Or booking a call with her directly: https://calendly.com/bellahegarty/30min