In an ever competitive business environment, the secret to survival lies in developing a long lasting relationship with your customers. For most businesses it can be quite a challenge to retain customers. However, there are a few factors (if considered ardently) that can lead towards customer loyalty. Have a look at some of the following simple yet effective tips:
Ensure Special Treatment
Customers naturally feel an affinity towards a business that makes them feel “special” and “welcomed”. Treat your customers like friends or loved ones; give them the gesture that you truly care for their needs. Start off by greeting a walk-in customer with a smile and make the conversation more personalized by addressing him/her with their first name. If the customer feels lost or confused about making a choice, you should help out like you would offer suggestions to a friend. However, never force them into buying a product; instead give them personal space to make a decision.
Exceed your Customers’ Expectations
As a token of appreciation you should give your customers desirable discounts from time to time. Gifts can also be offered to your first hundred customers to thank them for choosing your products/services. You can offer them loyalty and membership cards to ensure they would come back to you. Be generous towards your customers and see how they stick to you and bring in new customers by word of mouth advertising.
Proactively Respond to Customer Needs
If you want to make a lasting impression on your customers, you have to be proactive in your service. Whether it is online shopping or in store shopping, customers expect a prompt response for their queries and orders. Do not make your customers wait for order processing, billing or product delivery. Your competitor might steal them away by offering more efficiency in service, so make sure that you have trained your people with the right service attitude.
Win your Customers through active Communication
In order to retain and build long term relationships with your customers, you have to make an effort to know them better and address their needs. The best way to achieve this is to actively communicate with them through various platforms. Use social media to engage with your customers and discuss their concerns. You can also update them about your latest products and discounts through your social media pages or by sending them a newsletter. Similarly another great way for actively communicating and engaging with customers who are coming onto your website is through live chat support. All these efforts will work towards gaining their trust and building loyalty.
Value your Customers’ Feedback
Customer feedback should be utilized in a smart manner to improve services and offer solutions according to the customers’ distinctive requirements. You can develop and modify future products/services by carefully analyzing the customers’ recommendations. Do not take feedback and suggestions from your clientele just for the sake of following a ritual; instead use it wisely to make the customer journey memorable enough to earn you lifelong customers.
Very well laid out – I would like to add:
Engage and involve your customers during the research and product development stage to co-create the offering/product such that the customers feel they have designed the product themselves. Working closely with customers to design products is the best way to ensure they buy from you.