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How To Provide the Best Possible Experience to Older Customers

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The goal of many businesses is to increase customer satisfaction across the board. It is essential that your staff treats every customer with the same level of respect and that every person who walks in the door or clicks on your website is able to get the same service and attention as the next individual.

Part of increasing customer satisfaction is thinking about the needs of your older clientele. Even if your company doesn’t specifically market to seniors and older guests, they still deserve the same great experience. If your company has been lacking in that department, then we are here to help with some simple tips.

Consider Potential Limitations

While your team should not assume that just because an older person walks in the door that they may have a physical limitation, it is important that your employees modify their behaviors accordingly if an older customer requires that extra effort. For example, you may need to show more patience and repeat information more than once. If a customer does not understand what you said the first time, then repeat the information in a patient tone. They will appreciate your kindness.

Next, it is not uncommon for seniors to experience some form of sensory degradation as they get older. The issues could include the need for reading glasses and hearing aids, or they may experience changes in their sense of touch. That is why the signage at your store should have a large font so that everyone can read it, even when they are further away. Plus, many seniors may also have an issue with touch or not realizing when something is too hot or too cold. That is why restaurant staff should inform a guest that a plate is hot before they touch it.

In order for a company to succeed, the customers need to be able to see the products and the details of your services clearly and without the need to strain. This is also the case for business websites. Your site needs to be accessible to all people. To do that, all videos should be clear, the navigation to get from page to page needs to be obvious, and you should avoid colors like red and green, which are difficult for people with color blindness to read.

Communicating With Older Customers 

In addition to treating older customers with respect, you also need to know that some people may have issues with hearing and retaining information. Never assume that a certain individual needs special attention. Instead, use the proper amount of detail in all of your communications with the customer. Whenever possible, speak in clear language and avoid technical jargon or terms that you use behind the scenes. You don’t want the customer to think they are misunderstanding what you say.

When you aren’t speaking, you also need to listen effectively. You never want a customer to repeat themselves too often because they may become frustrated. It is a good idea to have a pad and pen on hand so you can document the customer’s name and their question or concern. That will also make it easier to relay the matter to management if necessary.

Even if you write everything down and you still are unsure of their concerns, then take the time to ask questions. You don’t want to ask them to repeat everything they said, but ask smart questions that help you to solve their issue. After the customer has expressed all of their issues, you can even ask a question as part of a summary. So, you could say, “Do you mind if I recap the issue so I can get a better understanding?” The customer will more than likely be happy that you are taking the extra step to understand their concerns.

Practice Smart Marketing

It is also important to think about how you communicate with people from older demographics when it comes to your marketing tactics, especially when technology is involved. While plenty of older folks are well-versed with computers and devices, you don’t want to assume that everyone is on the same page.

For instance, think about whom you are targeting when you create your social media campaigns and choose the right social network where you have the best chances of reaching them. Experts find that those in older generations tend to use platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, and fewer are utilizing modern platforms like TikTok. When you do create posts, it is important that you engage your audience and speak to their specific concerns. If necessary, run a report on your social media to check the age of your frequent visitors, and if they skew older, modify your tactics accordingly.

Finally, if you do have an older audience, then you may want to modify your marketing tactics in general. If you know that fewer people are going to be online to see your products, then you may want to switch over to a direct marketing campaign. If you choose to go with email marketing, then be sure to match customer expectations by using a larger font and avoiding overloading the recipients with unnecessary information.

As you can see, it is possible to treat all of your customers equally and reach the older folks who may frequent your business. Consider these tips, and you could grow your audience in ways you never expected.