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Making a sale to a new customer is a great accomplishment, but it’s not the end of your relationship with that buyer or client. Loyal repeat business is essential for all types of companies, so you should always strive to build strong bonds. A loyal customer can also recommend your company to friends and family members and give you positive reviews on Yelp and other similar sites. Here are some useful tips for building better customer relationships.
Try to exceed the expectations of your customers. Offer occasional surprise discounts or gifts, and make sure that you give better service than your customers expect. For example, an auto shop should advertise 30-minute oil changes if the task usually takes 20 minutes. In this case, customers will be impressed and mechanics will have some extra time to examine the car if they find other problems. Customer service experience speaks volumes. Whether it’s someone on your customer-facing team that was extra friendly and catered specifically to the needs of your client, or a social media post, you should communicate in a way that creates personal relationships and proves customers are your number one priority.
People are bombarded with so much advertising clutter, that it’s not surprising if your brand is put in the back of a person’s mind. Even if your business provided a perfect experience with exceptionally charming, skilled salespeople, it can be very easily forgotten after a few months. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they come home from networking events and fail to follow up. An email newsletter or a social media post reminds former clients that your business is available and lets current and potential customers know about sales, giveaways, and other special events.
On average, repeat customers spend 67 percent more than new customers. This translates simply: Your most profitable customers are your repeat customers. By giving your customers something of value in exchange for their business, it shows you appreciate them and creates a personal and lasting relationship.
Happy clients are more likely to make referrals. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool that can benefit both parties if rewards are given to customers that refer your business. Referral programs are extremely lucrative for both parties. When inquiring about a new restaurant or new plumbing service, you ask a friend or check out Yelp, because it’s easier to trust real people than a formulated ad that was created by a marketing team. By giving incentives for referrals, you are using loyal customers as salespeople and creating a relationship that reflects appreciation and balance.
Put simply, consumers are paying for a product or service and expect a quality experience. For example, if you need to visit someone’s home, confirm appointment time, directions or any appropriate information ahead of time. Time is valuable and punctuality goes a long way in building customer relationships. If you’re shipping a product, send an email with a tracking number to let him or her know where the package is. Make sure the customer can return a defective or damaged product with no fees. Little details like this show the customer you value their time as well as their business.
Contact UNIM for more tips and information about increasing your sales by building better customer relationships.