Customer experience, simply put, is everything. each interaction with our customers we have with our business, no matter how big or small, can positively or negatively affect the relationship. A star customer experience it can bring many benefits – increased revenue, brand loyalty, increased market share and competitive differentiation, to name a few.

According to PwC research, 73% of customers consider experience as an important factor in their purchase decisions, as well as product price and quality. Actually, 94% of customers who consider a brand's CX to be “very good” are more likely to buy more from the company in the future.

On the other hand, 72% of customers switch brands after a negative experience, according to Customer Support Status Report.

like customer expectations continue to grow, entrepreneurs need to think carefully about their customer experience strategy. Now more than ever, modern businesses must create a tailored customer experience playbook that ensures consistent interaction across all touchpoints to deliver the exceptional experience today's customers demand.

But how do you know what will work best for your company and customers? Here are some best practices to consider.

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If you want to improve your customer journey, invest in your team

It cannot be denied that technological advances such as AI and automation it can help improve customer service processes and make your team's work easier. However, I would argue that your people set you apart from the competition. Great customer service starts at the employee level, a fact that many entrepreneurs can overlook.

Interesting, Gartner Research finds that two-thirds of the drivers of customer satisfaction are due to how customers feel during and about their experience. In my experience, when your employees feel valued and connected, those positive feelings often have a ripple effect on your customers. Think of it this way: people who are happy at work are in the best possible position to create happy customers.

Before becoming co-CEO of Marshall Building and Remodeling, it was important for me to get into my team's shoes to better understand what they were experiencing on a daily basis. I worked events, managed teams, scheduled meetings, ordered materials, cleaned our office, planned projects, cleaned job sites, inspected neighborhoods, obtained licenses and permits, and closed in-house sales meetings. This provided me with invaluable insight and ensured that I never asked more of my team than I could give myself.

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Wherever you can take away the customer's anxiety, do it

In a world where choices abound, customers look for value not just internally products but in how safe and secure they feel in their overall experience. If there are moments in your customer journey where their comfort level wavers, that should be a huge red flag, signaling to you and your team that quick action needs to be taken.

Let me share an example. As we were expanding our business, we realized that it was unsustainable to have one person handle the sales and production components of a project. So we decided to build a sales team focused exclusively on consulting and in-house sales and a production team focused exclusively on crew development and seamless installations. The challenge became finding a way to seamlessly transition clients from their original vendor to a project manager, knowing that many of our clients were emotionally attached to their first point of contact. We decided to implement an important customer touch point at that time, complete with a welcome package and inbound calls.

We called her “Meet Meg” (Meg is our company's dynamic customer service manager). By introducing our clients to Meg, she became a bridge between the moment our clients signed with their vendor and the time they started asking about their next steps. “Meet Meg” became a way to ensure our customers would feel secure knowing they had a single point of contact at the company who could handle all their needs from start to finish.

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Show customers that they matter

Although you can prioritize it the customer journey, don't assume that your customers fundamentally understand how valuable they are to your company. You have to “tell and show” them how much they matter. My company sends each customer a box of chocolates from a local chocolatier when they choose to work with us for their exterior home renovation needs. We pair this sweet treat with detailed information on what to expect moving forward with their project by introducing them to Meg. This lets them know how much we value their business while helping to manage their expectations. Whether it's a physical gift, a handwritten note or a customer appreciation event, small gestures can really make a customer feel appreciated, building that long-term affinity with your business.

One-size-fits-all customer experience playbooks don't exist—and for good reason. Every business has unique customers with different feelings, needs and preferences. It is up to you to determine what your playbook should look like. You need to run the right shows, get your team on board to evangelize your approach, and consistently keep your customers at the center of your business decisions. When you do this, you will not only be able to say that you are customer-centric, but it will be firmly integrated into your business ethos.