We live in a competitive world and you need to do everything you can to satisfy and keep the customers you have. Below are 25 ways to do it.
- People want instant results, so live up to it as much as you can. People are well informed, they can get info with the touch of a button, make sure that you don’t give incorrect info because it ruins your trust relationship.
- What makes people choose YOU above your competitor?
- Know who you are dealing with (gender, age, job, marital status, geographical location, etc. Know what their interests are. (Indoor/outdoor etc.) Know their financial status and take it into consideration. In other words know what makes your customers tick.
- Make sure you know exactly what they expect from you and your product/ service.
- Know how they usually buy – face to face, web site, in store – that will determine how personal you can get.
- Know why they want to buy, need versus want or merely curious.
- Success means clearly understanding what customers’ needs are and making sure they have a positive experience.
- First impressions are important. A clean facility, especially with food.
- Friendliness – smile, be helpful and service with speed e.g. same day delivery.
- Efficient service/ personnel same day delivery, quick answers, competent staff. Front line staff should able to give answers, people detest being transferred to other staff for answers. Well trained staff.
- Accuracy – you don’t want to have to take stuff back again & again.
- Sufficient stock and good quality product – if you need to then educate your customer to use it – people are lazy.
- Always offer value for money.
- Have an “x” factor and keep it relative, so tailor it often to keep it trendy.
- Walk the 2nd mile – invest in your customer.
- Don’t bombard your customers with products or services you know they don’t want, it might have the opposite result. If you don’t know then ask questions to identify their needs.
- Teach your front office personnel to listen to customers with attention, look people in the eye.
- Be honest and transparent.
- Tell customer the benefits of your business/ product and always under promise and over deliver.
- Follow up, stay interested.
- Be available – people want to see the owner/manager.
- Recommendations and good reviews are very important, word of mouth is still your best type of advertising.
- Internal communication is vital, especially when it comes to customer service and complaints.
- Make sure your website is up to date, user friendly and informative.
- Remember! Customer’s leave without complaining, make sure they return, else you have failed.
