There is not a single business who would not want a returning client. At the end of each day, we want to see our ledgers full of activities from both new customers and familiar names. So now that your holiday promotional efforts have dwindled down with the first sign of spring, you should keep in mind that getting – and keeping – your customers should not only be seasonal.
Retaining your customers is a “serious business,” no pun intended. It is an essential aspect of the business that should not be taken lightly. Your relationship with your customers requires just as much work and dedication as your non-business relationships do. Prospecting and making the first sale is reasonably easy, but the real challenge lies in making sure they keep patronizing you.
Retaining your customers is a “serious business,” no pun intended. It is an essential aspect of the business that should not be taken lightly. Your relationship with your customers requires just as much work and dedication as your non-business relationships do. Prospecting and making the first sale is reasonably easy, but the real challenge lies in making sure they keep patronizing you.
I Can’t Stress this Enough, but Focus on QualityThis is probably the most recycled piece of advice, but there’s a good reason why it is. You can never go wrong with focusing on giving the best quality to your customers. Okay, you have the best product in town with raw materials exported from the most remote and primitive part of the world, meticulously hand-picked to get the best byproduct. But are you focusing on the quality of your customer service? If your customer’s experience during the interaction was not as great as the products you’re selling, they would likely not stick around. Think about it as a package deal: quality products and quality service is a lottery winning ticket.
Be the Expert
Position yourself as the expert in your chosen niche. If you are selling ice cream, then be an ice cream connoisseur. Learn everything you can – flavor, texture and consistency, what topping mix goes with which, etc. Regardless of the industry you’re in and the type of business you have, study everything you have to learn about it. Go to school or take online courses if you must. They didn’t say “knowledge is power” for no reason. If you capitalize on your skills and expertise, your customers will trust you more and will put you on top of their heads.
Out of Stock? Give Them Raincheck
No matter how military we are when it comes to inventories, there are unavoidable circumstances when we miss on a few products that needs restocking. So when our clients come storming in looking for a product that’s currently out of stock, we feel helpless and stamp it as a lost opportunity. But there is a classic yet effective “plan B,” and that is to provide rain checks. Rain checks are written guarantees that they can purchase the specific product they want once it’s back in stock. Offer to email or call them when it’s available or better yet, have it shipped to them directly. Do not let your inventory keep you from making a successful sale. This will encourage them to buy from you instead of heading straight to your competitor after walking out empty-handed from you.
Build a Unique Brand Based on Trust
If you want to stand out in a sea of physical and virtual businesses, you have to create a winning brand. Your business personality should not only be unique and interesting, but it also has to have more substance. What’s the first word you’d want your customers to describe you with? What’s the image you want to create in your customer’s minds? Incorporate building customer trust into your answers to these questions. Practice transparency in your pricing, and especially in the products you’re selling. Don’t tell your clients it’s authentic leather if the material is faux.
Ask for Feedback
And act upon it. You can’t keep your customers if you don’t know what’s going to make them stay. Feedbacks do not necessarily have to be in the form of a survey questionnaire. Listen out for the little commentaries our clients make, usually at the point of sale. Take note of what they’re trying to tell you and do not just simply take note, but make sure you’re applying it in your operations or practices.
The voice of the customer is small as a whisper, so you have to listen with intent because it is the most powerful customer retention tool.
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