+44 (0) 1803 407 407
The success of any business ultimately depends on its ability to acquire, effectively manage and retain its customers.
This guide provides a range of useful tips and helpful links to how this can be successfully achieved. Effectively managing your customers – and showing it through your service – gives you a high return on the time, effort and money you invest. Loyal customers are well worth nurturing.
They buy more, more regularly. And the cost of selling to them is almost nil, whereas finding new customers is an expensive business. Satisfied customers will recommend your
product to others.
Dissatisfied customers will complain about you to an average of ten other customers and potential customers,multiplying
the damage to your reputation. Here, we look at
how to:
communicate with customers
deliver consistent service
handle complaints
involve your whole team in customer care
develop loyalty
retain your most profitable customers
Nurturing your customers
Every communication with the customer is a chance to impress or to disappoint. You will need to make the most of every one of these opportunities.
Answer the phone promptly. If it rings more than five times, apologise for the delay. Make sure outgoing messages on answering machines are upbeat and up-to-date.
Reply quickly to letters, faxes, e-mails and out-of-hours answering machine messages.
Provide information immediately, or let customers know when they can expect it.
Stick to what you have promised. If you say you will call back, do. If you say you will send a quote by Friday, keep to that deadline.
Concentrate your efforts on the needs of the customer – not on what it would suit you to sell.
Use your person-to-person skills.
Greet your customers as if you are pleased to see them. Learn their names, and start using them, as soon as possible.
Be polite, friendly and positive. Smile, make eye contact, look and sound enthusiastic and speak clearly.
Use physical contact. Shake hands. Do not be held back by British reserve.
Show a personal interest. There is almost always time to discuss non-business matters. Be a good listener.
Make sure your appearance – and the look of your premises – will convey the right image.
Keeping your promises is most important of all. Promise only what you know you can achieve. When you do better, your customers will notice and be impressed.
Care where it shows
Be flexible. Make it obvious to your customers that your operation is run to suit them, and not to suit your own convenience.
Provide the most convenient service you can.
Organise delivery schedules that take account of the customer’s needs.
Offer the longest and most convenient hours of opening you can afford.
Set low minimum order levels, especially for regular customers.
Minimise the amount of paperwork your customers have to do.
If things go wrong, inform customers as soon as possible, in order to minimise disruption at the receiving end.
If a delivery in a month’s time is likely to be delayed, let the customer know today.
Sell your customers only the products that suit their needs, not the products that will make you the most profit in the short term.
Give unbiased, realistic advice even if it means no immediate sale for you. Nothing builds trust more effectively.
Good care needs systems
Do everything you can behind the scenes to save
your customers time, money and aggravation.
Choose reliable suppliers who will not hold up your own production and deliveries.
Keep adequate stock levels.
Check your production procedures.
Cut out any bottlenecks that could cause unnecessary delays.
Set up a production process that ensures no defects, rather than relying on inspection of the finished product.
