Having a good customer service reputation is vital for any business. If you really want to establish that your business has a customer-first model, though, you’ll have to stand out from your competition. The following three actions can help you to not only convince customers that your business has their best interests at heart, but it will also help you to establish the kind of reputation your business needs to thrive.

Go the Extra Mile

If you want to convince customers that your business is customer-first, you have to make sure that everything customer-facing actually makes customers happy. This often means going the extra mile even when most customers wouldn’t expect you to do so. Little things like helping a customer to his or her car with a heavy purchase or greeting frequent clients by name can have a huge impact. It’s vital that you don’t try to call attention to your customer-friendly actions—your customers will likely interpret any attempts to do so as your business trying to buy their loyalty.

Reach Out

A customer-first business is one that solicits feedback from its customers. Always make sure that your business has a strong social media presence, one that is actually valuable to your customers. You have to walk a very fine line between being present and being a nuisance, but it can be done with a little careful observation. Your customers will appreciate when you share relevant data with them, allowing you to further strengthen your bond. Your social media feed can and should be used to get feedback from your customers, allowing you to grow and change your business based on consumer needs.

Reward Loyalty

One of the most important ways you can show that your business cares about its customers is by rewarding them for sticking by you. Even small discounts can mean quite a bit, especially if they are given to customers for their loyalty. Create programs that allow frequent customers a chance to get a discount on items or services in order to show them how much you care. Even giving away something small for free helps to remind your customers that you appreciate them as more than just items on a ledger. If you want a more official rewards program, you might work with customer loyalty program companies that can create something that works for you.

Establishing a reputation of being customer-first means working harder to show your clients and customers that you care. Work harder to make them happy, stay in contact, and reward them for being loyal to your business. If you can accomplish all of those tasks, the reputation you want will soon follow.