The Value of Customer Focus

What do a fine dining restaurant, a web design company, and a roofing business all have in common? One thing: with a targeted customer focus and a good community presence, they will thrive. Without a connection to clients and all the benefits it entails- a referral network, reviews for word-of-mouth advertising, and customer satisfaction- even the most efficient business will go under. Superior products and a streamlined personnel system are great, but if no one experiences what you’re selling, how do you make an impact on the market?

“Best of Thumbtack” Web Design Company

That’s why a dedicated customer focus is the most important asset any company can have. For two years in a row (2015 and 2016) Dsquared Media has won the “Best of Thumbtack” award in the category of freelance web designers and web design companies. Thumbtack is a referral service with a presence in all fifty states. Potential clients use Thumbtack services by selecting a category of services they need- anything from a web design company to event planners. Clients answer a few questions about what they’re looking for, and Thumbtack returns with custom quotes for services and companies in the client’s location that offer the expertise they need. The last step is where customer focus comes in: before hiring, clients can check out a company’s reviews, profiles, and quotes. Having Dsquared Media listed on sites like Thumbtack is a great way for this small business to get the word out about what we offer, but without any positive feedback from previous and current clients, someone may be apprehensive about hiring us for web design services. Luckily, our network of prior and current clients has built a grassroots referral service for Dsquared. Simply by word of mouth, potential clients see what we can offer as a web design company, and contact us for new projects and proposals.

Making an Impact on the Market

Winning “Best Freelance Web Designers” (2015) and “Best of Web Design Companies” (2016) isn’t something you can apply for. These awards are presented to companies solely based on real customer reviews. They’re not selected by a special business committee and you can’t pay for them like you can buy an ad campaign. They are, essentially, based on customer experience. In a way, customer review-based awards are a lot like profits- they are based entirely on how satisfied clients are with the service you have provided. The benefit of being recognized for having a good customer focus and providing excellent web design services is that it generates an entire marketing campaign from the ground up, with no investment by the company- people simply spread the word, tap their networks, and make referrals based on their best suggestion.

The goal of any small business is to be someone’s “best suggestion.” We may be a design company that produces marketing, but even we can’t create a word-of-mouth campaign. That’s based on maintaining high-quality services, communicating with clients, and not being afraid to reach out for referrals and ask for reviews. We need to know how we’re doing so that we can do better. And as we do better, we generate more positive feedback from customers. That grows our potential client base and, in turn, our business. When you’re a small company, making a big impact is the goal. With superior customer service and network building, that impact happens- and sometimes it comes with a certificate.