Knowing Your Customer for Better Customer Service
Posted by Meredith Estep on Thu, Jan 26, 2012 @ 08:44 AM
The demographics of the average American customer have been slowly evolving over the years, and the customer of today may be far different than the customer businesses catered to a decade or two ago.
To ensure your customer service is consistently meeting needs, it is essential to determine what your customer looks like now, rather than relying on outdated information. Check out these results from the 2010 census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to see the transformation the American customer has experienced.
What is Average?
Recent census results show that the "average" American that lived 50 years ago is no longer a reality today. At that time, consumers shared many similar needs and characteristics. Today, that same assumption can no longer be made, as demographics and customer features have branched out into a much broader range. This means your customers may have different needs and expectations for your business than ever before.
Life, it is Diversifying
By culture or generation, customers encompass a wider line of characteristics. According to the U.S. census, the two largest states in the country do not boast a single race or ethnicity as a majority any longer. By the same token, as average life expectancy has extended, more generations are also shopping at various businesses. Tailoring your customer service to a wider range of demographics will ensure all of your customers enjoy a satisfying experience with your company.
There is no Standard Family Unit
Like the rest of the demographics of the country, the family unit has also significantly diversified. For the first time in history, the U.S. census offers evidence that married couples no longer make up the majority of households, and the number of single households is on the rise. Additional generations are living together, as retired individuals are moving in with their kids and grandkids. This makes for a more diverse customer base, even when customers share the same address.
Changing demographics may be a reality, but how does that impact customer service today? While many businesses look to market segmentation as an advertising tool, it can also be used to serve customers more effectively. By understanding the new consumer market, you will be better equipped to meet your customers' needs on a whole new level.
Getting to Know Your Customers
Beyond the basic census results, how to you get to know your new brand of customer? Through tools like customer surveys, you can create segmentation of your market that takes into consideration age, gender, race and marital status.
When you get to know your customers through effort and research, you will be better equipped to provide them with the kind of service that is personalized on a whole new level.
Whether you are just starting out in customer service or have been working with a client base for some time, taking the time to assess – and reassess – customer needs on a regular basis is the first step in creating a service environment that puts your customers first every time. The census information can be a starting point to learning who your customers are and what they want from your business.
- Meredith Estep