The purpose of a business is building repeat customers.
We took some liberties from the original Peter Drucker quote by adding the word repeat. Repeat customers. That is what business is all about, right? If we had to depend on new customers for 100% of building repeat customers of our business, it really would get hard. Really hard.
Customer loyalty is a hard job. And getting harder all the time.
We all know that providing exceptional customer service is the stated goal of every business leader, regardless of how large or small the company. It’s common knowledge that customers are more loyal to companies who treat them as more than just a number.
For a long time, marketing was driven by taglines—short, evocative slogans that captured the essence of a brand’s message. Nike encouraged us to “Just Do It,” while Apple inspired us to “Think Different.” Miller Lite simply had to say, “Tastes great, less filling” and the product flew off the shelves.
Taglines worked because they cut through the clutter and stood out in a sea of brands vying for our attention. Marketers needed to project images that were compact, but meaningful or risk getting lost in the mix. Yet it is no longer enough to merely grab attention. Marketers now need to hold attention.
Galileo once said that “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” Great marketers uncover those obvious, but unexpected truths to win consumer’s hearts and sell products.
So what does it take to turn first-time buyers into repeat customers? Consider these 10 tips we frequently use with our clients to keep their customers coming back. They form the enablers of customer retention strategies we build.
Be accountable
Don’t pass the buck. One of the most aggravating things a customer faces where customer care is concerned is being passed around like an old hat that no one wants.
Impeccable service ensures that every company employee, regardless of rank, handles customers to the fullest extent of their abilities.
Never refer a customer to someone else simply because you don’t know how to handle his problem. Instead, take the time to help him fix the problem, if possible.
Or at the least, if you must refer a customer, find someone who can resolve their issue and provide a warm hand-off. Ensuring your customer achieves a desirable outcome will help you create a customer for life.
Provide solutions
Be innovative. Once you understand the customer’s problem, offer a solution. Refrain from telling the customer what you can’t do. Instead, focus on what you can do to remedy her situation, and offer some options.
Working to solve your customer’s problem — even if not to the extent she may have hoped — will help her feel as if you care about her and her business.
A solution-focused attitude will keep customers coming back even after they’ve faced a problem with your company.
Personalize your service
Be genuine. When a customer calls with a complaint or a concern, make the time to treat them like an individual. And ensure your employees do, too. While calling a customer ma’am or sir is respectful, it doesn’t offer a personal touch.
Replying, “Yes sir, I understand,” is polite. And polite is good! But adding the customer’s name, as in “Yes Mr. Jones, I understand,” is so much better!
Using a customer’s name whenever possible helps her see you are truly engaged in serving her, regardless of the problems she’s brought to your attention. And it helps her realize she’s more important to your company than her checkbook.
New ideas
Come up with new ideas for customers. You have experience and knowledge. You know what’s happening in your industry and your customer’s needs. Make a serious effort to share your thoughts with customers.
Our job as marketers is to do the hard work of finding and nurturing charismatic ideas we can be proud of. One place to start is to look at the ideas you’re trying to spread.
Consider whether they’re charismatic enough to earn the effort you’re putting into them–and if not, how to replace them with ideas that are.
Customer feedback
Seek customer feedback early and respond quickly. Follow up the first sale with some form of customer
contact soon after delivery. Try to pinpoint any problems immediately. Satisfied customers want a positive response when they run into problems or have serious questions.
Be empathetic
Listen, acknowledge, validate & apologize. Listen to your customers. Sometimes people really do just need to vent, and rarely should a complaint be taken personally.
Learn to acknowledge the customer’s issue, and train employees to do the same. It helps your customers to know that someone understands their concerns.
Let them know you understand the way they are feeling and apologize even if you don’t feel you need to. A sincere apology works wonders in creating happy, loyal customers. It confirms your willingness to take responsibility for their problems.
Be responsive
Prospects expect a quick reaction to a request or a problem. They also expect your employees to try to make sure that problems don’t occur in the first place. Once prospects are convinced they can rely on the responsiveness of the staff, there’s a good possibility they will become repeat customers.
If you make a mistake, admit it right away. Don’t try to place blame or cover it up with excuses. The customer knows what’s going on and will be looking for your reaction. Once you admit the mistake, start talking about solutions.
Be trustworthy
Never make impossible promises. Often, in an effort to appease a customer, an employee or company leader will make promises that are not only impractical but which he or she is simply not able to honor.
Instead, offer a realistic, workable solution that will allow you to rebuild your customer relationship and provide some satisfaction. It’s not necessary to “give away the store.” Just meet the situation realistically and your customer will appreciate the effort.
Be reliable
The ability to provide what’s promised dependably and accurately is listed as the No. 1 requirement for first-time buyers. They have no patience for employees who over-promise, don’t meet expectations or fail to inform them of possible problems.
Don’t spend months pursuing a new customer but fail to ensure that initial orders are fulfilled in a satisfactory manner.
Be the expert
They expect salespeople to have the knowledge and the expertise to meet all of their requirements. Prospects want to be convinced that you and your company have the knowledge to solve their current and future problems.
Their first order is a trial. How you handle it will go a long way in determining whether they will become repeat customers.
Take nothing for granted
Don’t take any customer’s loyalty for granted. It is a fragile trust. The key to customer loyalty is not just by providing a quality service or product, but how you service and support it. Meeting customer expectations in a first sale may not be enough. First-time buyers want to know you care. For loyalty to endure, it must be noticed and acknowledged over the long term.
The bottom line
Creating repeat customers is not rocket science. It is no more complicated than giving your customers what they want. Follow these tips well and you will have them lined up. You will have made you and your business indispensable.
