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Customer service is at the core of every business. It’s simple really; if your customers aren’t happy, you’re not going to have customers for very long. Fortunately, it’s easy to retain customers through some simple changes and improvements that’ll not only keep the current customers happy, but turn them into your cheerleaders as well!
1. Be Available
– No matter what kind of business it is, your customers should be confident that they’ll be able to reach you if they need to. Make your contact information available in as many places as possible, both online and at your location, and be sure to respond to your customers in a timely manner. This includes social media and review sites. If you’re responding to interactions (good & bad) online, you’ll gain a reputation for caring about your customers.
2. Don’t sell; advise
– Customers don’t want to feel like they are being pressured. Listen to what they are saying, answer their questions and build a relationship with them, regardless of whether it’s a 5 minute transaction or an ongoing relationship. Once you’ve taken the time to get to know them, you’ll be able to offer suggestions about your products and services without the customer feeling as if you are only looking for a sale. They’ll be more likely to return in the future as well because they’ll know that they can get their questions answered by someone they trust without being pressured to buy.
3. Reward loyalty
– This is one of the easiest ways to improve your customer service, retain customers and attract new ones. A loyalty program that rewards customers for their continued business is great, but try taking it one step further. For example, a hotel that has repeat guests could offer a discount on their next visit for referring new guests, while a spa could offer a free gift for booking s certain package level.
4. Get Your Staff Involved
– Your staff should be as excited about the business as you are and that should come through whenever they interact with customers. Clearly define your expectations for your staff and be willing to work with them to make sure they can meet those expectations. Hold workshops or training seminars on customer service training and if possible, offer rewards for positive feedback from customers. Employee engagement, like a happy customer, will be a big influencer in bringing in new staff.
5. Visit the competition
– This can be especially effective for businesses that are aspiring to grow to the size of larger competitors. Visit those competitors as if you are a customer and look for the nuances and tricks they use to please their customers, and then compare that experience to your own business. Look for areas that you can improve on and ideas that you can implement in your own way to suit your business.
These are just a few simple changes or improvements that you can make to your business that will keep your customers coming back and start attracting new ones. For more ideas on how you can improve your business, subscribe to our blog!
