With so many day-to-day business regiments that take place in the hospitality industry, it can often be difficult to keep up and manage customer relations- while catering to current customer needs’. However, as customer service representatives, we know how important customer retention is to the success of business, as well as the future it holds on our businesses. Yet still, it remains the most common reason customers are lost to competitors is because they perceive that your business does not value them- meaning that 7/10 customers will leave and go to your competitor business… yikes!
Perceived indifference
When customers feel that a business doesn’t care about them, they have no reason to stay, and will quite quickly and easily take their business elsewhere. 68% of customer loss, is due to perceived indifference, because they feel your business establishment has not made them a priority. By going above and beyond when it comes to customer service details you can ensure that customers know they are important and valued to you – through simple means of establishing a relationship with them and those personal touches that lets them know you do care. This will allow you to retain customer loyalty and continue to earn it.
It’s not always about new leads
While new customers are what we want to attract to our establishments, in the hopes of gaining further momentum and success, we have to remember to meet the needs of current guests and enhance customer loyalty. Loyalty is extremely important within the customer service industry as 80% of your establishment’s success will depend on just 20% of your existing customers, and attracting new customers will cost your business 5 times more revenue, rather than keeping existing ones.
Effective customer retention
Guest loyalty is an interesting topic because guests do not owe you their loyalty, but if your establishment has earned it, you have won a special place with them. That being said, it can easily be lost or transferred to a competitor down the street, if they feel misguided or lose your trust.
Quality over speed
In order to achieve guest service that entices them to return again, countless research studies point to customers being 9 times more likely to engage with a company described as ‘courteous, willing and helpful,’ over ‘speedy’, which only engaged customers 6 times more likely to be engaged. Having employees spending more time with customers, getting to know them can allow them to find out key customer traits, build personal connections and the trust for returning customers.
Be transparent
Show guests what you stand for and gain their trust by showing them what is important to your establishment, through organizations you support- local or global. 64% of consumers from a previous study of 7,000 indicated that they had a strong relationship with a brand due to shared values as their primary reason.
By showing guests what you care for will allow them to care about you as a business, and will enable them to care more about your business.
Importance of meaningful gestures
Reciprocity, a rather simple term meaning to go above and beyond for guests and get rewarded with repeat business. This is especially important within the customer service industry, we want to continue business, and know that guests will be returning after their first visit. Gestures of kindness by surprise have proven to leave a strong mark on guests’ who were not expecting a gesture. Gestures for guests do not have to be large by any means, but “the thought that counts” has proven to enhance guest relations- something as simple as knowing that the repeat guest prefers more pillows and they are already in their room, or they prefer a particular booth while dining.
By showing the importance of customer service representative and guest relationships, taking time and effort into duties over speed as well as rewarding guests through unexpected gestures will put your establishment at the forefront of guests’ preferred choices. As previously discussed, good customer service can go a long way and although it may take longer while delivering tasks, it can ensure customer loyalty in the future. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to have Braymark provide your establishment with a true sense of how your customer service is ranking, and exactly which aspects of your services need to be addressed, through the investment of a customer service experience audit.
