Think about how often you purchase something these days without first checking its user rating, reading a buyer’s review, or getting recommendations from friends or family. If you’re like 81 percent of online consumers, the answer is almost never.

But it’s no longer just products or services that today’s consumers investigate before they open their wallets. They’re increasingly interested in the quality of the companies and individuals they do business with as well. And though sales stats, name recognition, or marketing tactics may have motivated consumers in the past, research shows that the vast majority of consumers will consider customer experience as the key brand differentiator by 2020, beating out price and product.

As the world becomes increasingly transparent, your user reviews and "social cred" are more powerful than ever before, which is why it’s critical to prioritize elevating the end-to-end customer experience your organization offers. To give your business — and your customers — a much-needed boost, apply these strategies at every level of customer engagement:

Focus on omnichannel communication.

Making communication open and transparent at every level of your business not only helps establish trust with consumers, but it also weaves a system of accountability into your company’s entire framework. This will serve as a great motivator for you and your team to consistently work harder, smarter, and more effectively to improve the customer experience. Open communication also encourages customers to regularly and freely share feedback, potentially boosting your credibility with future consumers.

There are many ways you can open up communication channels for your business depending on your unique situation and audience. One move Agentology made was launching a Facebook group where customers can connect with each other and the company, leave reviews, ask questions, and discuss issues they may have. It also gave the Agentology team valuable insights into the wants and needs of consumers, who are often more candid when communicating in this indirect manner.

Maintain high standards, even when things don’t go as planned.

Ensuring your customers feel heard and respected at every stage of engagement is vital to improving the overall experience. Even if customers leave or cancel your service unexpectedly — whether it’s caused by financial woes, a change of heart, or something else altogether — it’s just as important (or perhaps even more so) to maintain the standards and integrity that you’ve set for yourself. How you treat customers who won’t be advancing your business or adding to your commission speaks volumes and will inevitably affect your reputation in the future. Just adding that humanness to your company’s practice can turn countless “missed opportunities” into customer referrals and glowing online reviews.

Follow up with all customers.

Every agent will have a vast range of experiences with clients — some successful and some not. But whether you close the deal or never make it across the finish line, it’s important to ensure all clients (potential, current, and former) know you are always available to help them, no matter what. They’ll appreciate having a professional in their corner, and you’ll earn bonus points in the customer experience category. At Agentology, sales reps are expected to offer follow-up support to clients, whether or not the business relationship ends in a sale.Ultimately, a policy of unconditional follow-up support can produce numerous referrals.

In today’s transparent world, your professional reputation — particularly how you treat your customers — can make or break your chances of attracting and retaining customers in the future. To really elevate your customer experience and give yourself a boost over competitors, make it standard practice to treat all potential customers, regardless of the situation or outcome, like they’re your top priority.