Four Ways to Show Your Customers Some Love (with Call Center Software)

We heart marketing as much as anyone. But let's face it: The arrow is usually pointed at prospective customers. There's nothing wrong with wooing new customers, of course. But showing love to current customers is just as important, and Valentine's Day is a perfect opportunity for small business owners to reveal what's in their hearts.

There are dozens of fun and creative ways to express your feelings this holiday, and a full-featured call center software suite can help get your message across with minimal fuss. Small business owners and their teams can handle customer calls efficiently while indulging their VIPs with something extra — all without missing a (heart)beat.

Here are four ways to show your customers love on Valentine's Day and beyond.

1. Make Your Customer's Experience the Center of Your World.

Everyone wants to feel valued, particularly around Valentine's Day. When a customer calls in, you must give them your undivided attention. If your team is worried about finding contact records or scripts, they're not paying attention, leaving your customers feeling overlooked.

Keep the focus on the customer, not shuffling application windows, with screen prompts and automated workflows that flow seamlessly from your CRM to your contact center solution. An integrated contact center solution can empower CRM-based workflows with in-call screen pops and recommendations to help your team stay engaged with customers.

2. Anticipate What Your Customers Need with the Right Call Center Software.

Do you know your customer well enough to finish their sentences? Knowing what your customers need, even before they do, can help them feel like you truly "get" them — the basis of a fruitful relationship. Look at your data and reporting to understand customer pain points, past purchases, and other behavior.

Consider reaching out to selected customers on "quiet" days to ensure a problem was resolved to their satisfaction or simply to thank them for their business. And if you're experiencing a service issue, contact them proactively and let them know you're working to resolve it.

3. Spread the Love.

Your small business serves many different types of people, so don't limit your Valentine's efforts to the paired-off. Thanks to the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, Galentine's Day is now a popular way for ladies to spend February 13 celebrating their female friendships. And pet owners aren't about to let an opportunity pass to show their fur babies some love.

Tailoring your responses to and interactions with your customers builds stronger relationships and a better customer experience. Take advantage of the capabilities of an integrated, multi-channel customer experience solution to create user profiles and make custom offer recommendations based on what your customers like. As always, meet your customers where they expect to find you, whether through email or web-based chat.

4. Partner for Pampering Experiences.

Today's shoppers are spending more on experiences for themselves and others. Cooking classes sold through a kitchenware or gourmet grocery store, for example, are a natural choice for a culinary experience. Spa services available through a bath and body product storefront are another excellent example.

If your business is rooted in products rather than experiences, consider partnering with others for a joint offer. Free movie tickets, passes to yoga classes, and similar treats are guaranteed to be a big hit. Have these offers ready so any team member can easily share and give a great experience when they connect with a customer. Take that offer to the next level by delivering it in the method the customer prefers, email or chat, with a multi-channel call center solution.

Baring your heart to customers is fun and rewarding, but such campaigns require time and resources. There's no need to go it alone, though. With the right customer experience software in place, reaching out to customers where they are — by email, via phone, or on chat — is as simple and natural as Cupid pulling back on his bow.

When the day is done, real-time reporting will let you know whether your arrows found their targets or if you're using a contact center to connect to your customers. Best of all, there's little effort involved. So, when February 14 rolls around, you'll spend less time managing your phone system and more time showing your customers some love.