5 Ways to Keep Your Customers Coming Back for More
Posted by Meredith Estep on Thu, Aug 05, 2010 @ 09:19 AM
Attracting new customers is an important element of any business. However, what you do with those customers once they enter your doors will have a big impact on whether they come back again.
If you find that your company is lacking repeat business, there are some ways to ensure a first-time customer becomes a regular. Implement these tips to keep your customers coming back for more.
Learn their Names
It is not always easy to remember customer names when you are communicating with multiple clients each day. However, greeting customers by name is one of the easiest ways to ensure they return to your business again and again. Try using the customer's name a few times during your first conversation to help the information stick in your mind.
Use Your Manners
This seems elementary, but it is amazing how many customer service representatives fail to use words like, "please" and "thank you" when communicating with customers. Teach your staff to greet each customer as they walk in with a phrase like, "Good morning, how can I help you today?" Remind employees to thank a customer when their business is finished. Simple niceties can go a long way in motivating that customer to walk through your doors again.
Provide a Quality Product
Customers come back when they receive a quality product for a good price. If there is a reason the customer is not satisfied with the product, customer service representatives should know how to manage the complaint and go the extra mile to make the customer happy. In most cases, even unhappy customers can become quite satisfied if they feel their concerns are respected and addressed efficiently.
Send Thank-You Notes
This is another simple gesture that does not get as much recognition as it should today. When a new customer brings you business, follow up with a written thank-you note a few days later. This correspondence is the perfect time to alert them to other services you offer that would make their business more convenient. The act of a thank-you note is not widely used today, so yours is sure to stand out in your customer's mind.
Provide Incentives
First-time customers can leave your business with an incentive to come back again. This could be in the form of a coupon for a discount off their next purchase or a frequent customer card that offers a bargain after several purchases. You might even provide a "new customer packet" that includes information about your business and coupons from your company and other businesses nearby.
Getting customers through your door is the first step, but getting them to come back again is the backbone of any healthy company. These tips will help you turn first-time buyers into regular customers your business can count on over the long term.
-Meredith Estep