I read one of the most interesting statistics the other day; it costs five times more to find a new customer than to retain your current ones. Five times. If there was ever a stat to show the importance of keeping clients happy that is it. Luckily for you, it is usually the small tweaks and changes we make that have the biggest impact when it comes to boosting happiness and thus retaining loyalty.
To help you with this, I have come up with a list of some of the simplest and most effective things you can do. Enjoy.
Communication Is Key
So much hostility in life comes from miscommunication, and it has worsened with the rise of technology. Emails and texts and instant messages can all be read in the wrong light or taken the wrong way. As such, stick to calling your clients and schedule in regular calls with them. Talk to them. Share with them what you are doing, what progresses you have made and ask them how they are finding your service. It will help them feel that much happier about your relationship.
Prompt Replies A Must
The quicker you can get back to your clients the more satisfied they will feel. Even if you don’t have the answer, they will appreciate you getting back to them and saying you will reply in full as soon as you can and not just leaving them in the dark. As a rule, try and get back to your clients within a day, but if you can reply in an hour then reply in an hour. It is much more effective to show you have received an email and that you are on top of things that to give a lengthy reply three days later.
Be More Personal
There is no better way of showing that you care than to add a little personal touch to your relationship every now and then. It could be that you end them some corporate gift baskets for Christmas, or make a note of their birthday and send out a card, or even wrap their products in a baby blue wrapping paper because you remember them saying it was their favorite color once. These little details, the ones that make you seem more personal, will be what keeps you ahead of the competition.
Respect Their Opinion
One of the most effective ways you can keep your clients happy is to respect their opinions, listen to their ideas and make a note of their input. Respecting their opinion shows you respect them. Yes, you are an expert in your field, but they are an expert in theirs and that makes their point of view just as important, and if you recognize this, well, you will reap the rewards of loyalty. The quickest way to become known as a great conversationalist is to be a great listener, a quality that your clients will absolutely love you for.
Don’t Over Promise
If you over promise and fail to deliver on it then you are going to come off a bit worse for wear. Managing expectations to work in your favour is so important. So if you only remember one thing then remember this, it is so much better to underpromise and overdeliver than it is to get it the other way around. Research has shown that clients that are not happy with something share their grievances with an average of eighteen people compared with five people when they are happy. Make sure you keep them happy.
