In the world of business there is an old saying that goes “if you don’t care about your customers, someone else will”. This is why, big brands and companies alike, literally take all the pains to keep their clients with them and retain customers for life. Everyone big and small has the same goal- to gain new customers or acquire them through fair means. While no harm in doing so, but retention is what one should pay more attention to in this day and age of high competition. Many studies and research on customer retention speak of various formulas tried and tested to use; some of which we are going to focus on right now. Please read on and pay good attention to the five points below! Remember, it is cheaper to retain old customers than to gain new ones!
Your communication method should improve
Not only state of the art, but communication with customers should be frequent. This doesn’t mean spamming and overloading the customers with whatever you have on offer. Drop them a line only if you feel that the targeted audience is up for it and would be useful to them. Give them new ideas and solutions for their business and needs, and the customer you have had for so long would stick with you. Don’t we always love it when someone we know for long checks on us and our needs now and then; is that someone for the customer.
Customer value shouldn’t be taken for granted
Don’t you just hate it when family and friends take you for granted? Now imagine how your customer feels when you undervalue their presence in your business? On a regular basis, businesses should track the customers’ needs, measure their importance and monitor their value too; if they wish to have the customer for life. Don’t only measure the sales you have, but measure the sales by every customer- big or small, customer value will hit high if it is treated right.
Work towards faulty service
Even professionals are humans. They also can make mistakes. Imagine a scenario where your team member gave a faulty service by mistake and the customer is neglected in an unfortunate case. What would you do? At a time of desperate need, think of compensating your customer with something that will lessen their pain. In fact, you can use this adverse time into a marketing strategy for your customer to remember you forever. Think of adapting coupon promotions, which is a great way for businesses to attract new and old customers. This is a great tool to get the customers to try your product, witness your impeccable service and make them return for more. Promotional strategies such as couponing focus on creativity to stimulate the interest of customers. New or old, once they come in at the door, the goal should always be to have them come back with other groups to try your product or service.
Humanize your working methods
When dealing with demanding customers and clients or tricky ones, it is best to humanize the stance with them. Remember, they rather have you in person meeting them and dealing with their needs, than a computer based analogy doling out measures – faceless companies and brands are flies by night options they rather stay away with. It is all about trust, and we very well know how a human touch can make the trust factor rise up more than a notch, don’t we?
Take advantage of social media
Use the power of social media in this day and age, where you can have a human approach to answering clients and customers alike; this helps in retaining them when you talk to them on a daily basis. Train a team to be friendly on social media with the customer, and all will be well and on track towards the path of success!
Not just sales, after service, is important
Imagine buying a fridge and it goes kaboom in a month; you call the service center and they don’t bother sending someone over to fix it? Endless calls you make, and yet no answer or solution? Would you trust them with such an attitude towards after sales service? While being sold the fridge, they treated you like a king; what happened now? Customers would never stick by your company if this is what you do- sales are a must, but service levels are to be maintained in the highest accord before anything else.
Remember, it takes one bad word to mar the reputation of your company. Focus on customer service which will lead to customer retention. Customer retention is a matter of the heart and an art that needs to be mastered!
