8 Ways To Keep Your Customers Happy

The downfall for many businesses is that they don’t know how to keep customers. It seems that this is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but few firms find it. If you would realise how making your customers happy have a direct impact on your business, you will want to apply the following ideas to retain your customers and attract more.

Nowadays, customer service is being neglected and taken for granted by businesses. There is less concern about keeping their customers satisfied, not knowing it could hurt their business one way or another!

The following are statistics from the White House Office of Consumer Affairs:

• Each one of your customers has a circle of influence of 250 people or potential customers who may hear good or bad things about you
• The average ‘wronged’ customer will tell 8 to 16 people about it
• For every customer who bothers to complain, there are 26 other customers that remain silent
• 91% of unhappy customers will never purchase products or services from you again
• It is five times more expensive to attract a new customer as it costs to keep an old one

Not giving much importance to making your customers happy may cost you thousands of dollars! The following are three simple tips in showing your customers that you care based on Kelly Sims’ article ‘5 Ways to Keep Your Customers Coming Back For More’ (Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com)

Say Thank You

One of the most neglected ways in keeping your customers happy is saying ‘Thank you’ to them. Kindness and gratitude for a customer is an undeniable way to further charm them for the long term and even refer your business to somebody else. Your customers should feel that they are appreciated as they are the reason why you still have a business.

Although saying ‘Thank you’ is enough, it would be much better if you can also give some personalised items such as coupons and cards in gratefulness to make them feel extra special.

Respond promptly to enquiries

At this time and age where everything seems to be instant and technology is sweeping through our homes and businesses, people are more impatient to wait. So, if your customer has a question for you and he would not receive any response from you for days, he would generally look for another business where his query can be addressed immediately. You may fix this situation by entrusting this task to an employee to respond quickly and enthusiastically.

Be accountable

If mistakes are committed by you or your employees, you should be responsible enough to apologise.  35% of your customers who would supposedly switch to your competitors will be retained if you simply say ‘Sorry’. This is the true value of a sincere apology. There are people who may be difficult to please but generally, your clients are not this kind of people. Sincerely wanting to make your upset customer happy will keep them in your business.

Go above and beyond

Besides offering support, giving a little extra, which apparently will not cost you much will help enchant and satisfy your customers for the long term. Small, simple and free gifts or a little extra service can be valued already. Doing these little things will make them feel special and they may even refer your business to others!

Personalise the experience

Simply asking as to how their day is going and calling them by their names will make customers delighted. Even if you are on an online business, making them feel that you know and care about their satisfaction will bolster customer loyalty and render other customer retention strategies more effective.

Other Ideas

• Manage the expectations of your customers to make sure realistic goals are set and can be met. It would be better if you promise less but deliver more. Following up on your words helps build a feeling of trust and dependability with your audience that they may even tell their friends about you.
• Give some surprise discounts or promos to your customers. They really like it when they can save money unexpectedly.
• Ensure that your employees are knowledgeable as to how to say and act in case of a customer’s complaint. They should make sure that the customer will have a satisfying experience with your business.

Note

Nurturing relationships with your customers is a crucial part of growing a successful business. Without them, you don’t have a business. Customers would appreciate it when you show them that you care and are grateful for them. In return, you will gain their loyalty.

When customers are satisfied with your service, they are less likely to change business from you to your competitor.

Next Steps

Use the mentioned ideas and try to apply it to your business.

Establish a way on how to get regular and dependable feedbacks and suggestions from your customers.

Promote actively improvements and quality service of your business.

Email us at support@youraccountingpartners.com.au or call 1300 740 066 for all your accounting needs, bookkeeping, tax returns and compliance, business valuation and business sales.  Support and assistance for your small business needs.

James HuyVuong is a CPA and the owner of Your Accounting Partners. Partnering with businesses from start to scale thru to sale.