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Keep Your Customers Coming Back
So you have satisfied customers. So what. "What do you mean, so
what! We work very hard to achieve customer satisfaction - we're
very proud of it."
Yes, no dispute that customer satisfaction is critical in the
twenty first century, your company won't survive without it -
it's what customers now expect. That's not what we're talking
about. We're talking about customer loyalty.
"What's the difference?" you say. Plenty. Customer satisfaction
is sending a happy customer OUT of your business; customer
loyalty is bringing a happy customer BACK to your business. They
are very different events.
We've all read the research that shows 96% of customers with a
problem will never complain (if they complained you'd have a
chance to fix the problem and retain the customer), and the
stories of customer focused organisations that enjoy explosive
growth by giving you a discount if the phone rings more than
five times. All good stuff, and valid then.
This is today. Today's satisfied customer is tomorrow's
competitor's satisfied customer. Unless you know how to keep
them.
We made some assumptions about our customers in the service
frenzy of the 80's and 90's. Those assumptions are:
The level of service we decided to give our customers is what
they actually wanted
The level of service we're giving will create customer
satisfaction
High levels of customer satisfaction generates repeat business
Let's look at these three areas. Who says the level of service
that your organisation gives its customers is what they actually
want? Has anyone ever asked them? That may sound a little too
obvious, and it's surprising how many companies never bother to
ask their customers what they expect. Has your company ever
formally asked its customers? By using the services of a market
research company to survey them you will learn things you could
never learn by asking them personally. Market researchers are
impartial, and are seen to be so. The answers can be eye opening.
The second issue - the level of service we're giving will create
customer satisfaction. Who says? The customer? They're the only
ones who matter. Ask them.
Then the third myth. High levels of customer satisfaction
generates repeat business.
Unless a customer is given very good reasons to return to do
business with you again, all the customer satisfaction in the
world won't bring them back.
So how do you keep your customers coming back? Assuming your
products and services are good value for money, here's the key.
MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER FEEL SPECIAL. Make them feel they are the
most important customer you've got. Yes, every one of them -
individually.
Do the unexpected. As customers, we get blasé - we expect good
service as a matter of course. Do something outrageous that will
turn your customer into a walking, talking advertisement for
you. Like giving all the customers in your restaurant a card
instead of the bill on one night per month. The card simply says
"Thank you for being our guest tonight. One night a month we
treat all our patrons as our guests, and there will be no bill.
Please tell your friends that we randomly choose a night where
everyone is our guest, and eats for free. We hope you enjoyed
your visit, and we'll see you again soon."
If that happened to you, how many people would you tell, 10, 20,
30? And how many of them would visit that restaurant, 50%, 80%?
A large percentage, you can bet. We all like surprises, and we
all like something for nothing, and we can't resist a
gamble!
And what has it cost - equivalent to a 3% discount over the
course of a month. This technique need not be restricted to
restaurants either, any business can adapt it.
Or how about a customer who is a keen golfer. Imagine their
delight when, for no reason, a box of golf balls arrives with a
note from you saying "Thanks for doing business with us, we
appreciate it . . . hope you continue to enjoy your golf." How
quickly would the story get around the golf club?
Why not allocate one service team to visit major customer sites
on one day per month to carry out a full safety inspection and
report on equipment installed there - free of charge and without
being asked to do it.
There are probably hundreds of outrageous ideas you can think of
for your business that will make customers keep coming back, and
talk about you to other potential customers - your walking,
talking advertisements.
In his book, 'Positively Outrageous Service: New And Easy Ways
To Win Customers For Life', T. Scott Gross explains his
technique for keeping customers. The key to this technique is to
create high impact experiences. A customer encounters high
impact experiences when these five elements are involved:
*Its unexpected and randomly chosen *It's out of all proportion
to their business with you *It involves the customer *It makes
customers talk about you enthusiastically *It cements their
decision to keep doing business with you
Be creative. Use your imagination to think up ways to
incorporate high impact experiences for your customers. Here are
some idea starters:
Entertain your customers. Especially while they are waiting. If
you absolutely cannot eliminate waiting, have coffee or soft
drinks available; send someone to chat to them about things they
like and don't like about doing business with your company -
it's amazing how much you can learn by just asking.
Apologise for even the smallest mistake. When in doubt,
apologise; make amends far in excess of the slip-up; authorise
your employees to solve problems and compensate customers for
inconveniences.
Ask your customers' opinion. Learn to listen effectively and
actively seek information from customers - you'll be amazed how
many good ideas they'll give you.
Know your customer by name. And use it. Everyone likes to be
called by name, and those who use customers' names are
remembered. Ever been paying for a purchase with a credit card
and the salesperson has used your name from the card? Using
names makes people feel good.
Invite your customer to play. (And know when they're not in the
mood). Give your customer fun at unexpected moments. As
customers line up at the drive-up window at Gross's fast food
restaurant, staff start washing windscreens and having a joke
with the customers - and they keep coming back.
Companies who create outrageous service are remembered - and
more importantly, talked about. Not only is word-of-mouth
advertising the best form, it is very cost effective, and very
easy to do, and it keeps customers coming back. All it takes is
some imagination - and the courage to be different.
About the author:
Lee Fowler is a Customer Service specialist with 23 years
experience developing customer service programmes for companies
worldwide. He is the author of 'Lifelong Customers: How To
Attract - And Keep - Loyal Customers For Life' available for
immediate download at: www.businessskillsonline.com. Sign up for
his free 'Business Skills Weekly' e-zine at:
www.businessskillsonline.com
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