There’s no question when it comes to running a business the most important thing for success are your customers. If you didn’t have any customers then there wouldn’t be a business to work for as there wouldn’t be any money coming in. So it’s safe to say we have to do anything and everything in our power to ensure that the experience is brilliant and the want to return is there. How do we go about doing that? Read on for some tips on how to keep your customers satisfied and returning.
Listen To Your Customers
All too often you hear the same things coming from consumers’ mouths, the company doesn’t listen. It’s the first thing that is going to put off a customer from returning. Listening to your customers and meeting their needs is vital for them to be satisfied, not only this but it’s going to be beneficial to your brand. You may think you know everything as a business owner but listening to feedback is the best way to understand new trends and will put you in a position to develop and grow.
Respond To Your Customers
You’ve listened and hopefully taken on board some feedback but that’s not enough, not yet anyway. It’s all well and good telling your customers you’ve heard them but if you aren’t implementing change to show that you care, you might as well not bother. Be proud of owning an adaptable company that prides itself on looking after its customers.
Not only this but the response time of emails and messages is crucial in many industries. There aren’t many people that enjoy waiting for a response so make sure your staff has the right training to respond quickly and politely. Don’t disagree with the customer, that will just infuriate them, and be positive about their comments. The quicker you respond, the better reputation your company will have.
Retain Your Customers
It’s said that retaining customers is much more cost-effective than gaining a new one so try and hold onto every single one of your customers, whilst simultaneously trying to gain new ones. There are many strategies for retaining your customers and each and every one of them should be considered. Regular and loyal customers are some of the best you can have and will often go out of their way to purchase something from you when they’re treated right. Humans love to be spoiled in any way, and that includes when they’re the ones spending the money.
Get To Know Your Customers
If you own a business in the hospitality industry then this should be something that is already known to you. If it isn’t then I would learn this pretty quickly. Regular customers are key and they’re the ones that will keep you open all year round. Learn their names and learn their orders, you’ll be surprised just how many people will start spending more money in your establishment.
When it comes to industries outside of hospitality then it’s still worth getting to know your customers and checking in with them on the odd occasion. An industry that does this very well is the luxury car industry, they will email and message regular clients whenever a new car comes in or sometimes just to see how they’re getting on. This not only makes a customer feel special, but it also makes them want to spend more money.
Keep Your Staff Happy
You might be a little confused about the fact this article is about customers, and this subheading is dedicated to employees. Well, whilst customers are seen to be the most important asset to our business it’s important to remember that without any staff there wouldn’t be anyone to serve the public. For this reason, they should be treated well and kept happy.
You’ve probably seen it when walking into a shop and seeing a staff member unmotivated and unenthusiastic. Did you think they were lazy? Or did you sympathize and think maybe this job doesn’t pay very well, or they’re overworked?
Keeping your staff happy is essential to a progressive, healthy, fun, productive, and successful business. Anything less is going to work against you. Unmotivated staff isn’t going to give 100%, something you need all the time as a business owner.
Customer service is a difficult job whether you think so or not. Constantly being happy with a big smile on your face can be draining and will leave employees feeling tired. But it is essential to keeping your customers satisfied. Keep them coming in with happy, bright staff and ensure you’re listening to their wants and needs. If you can follow this list then you’re bound to keep them happy.
