You don’t have many repeat customers – why not?
– Rupert Turton
Getting customers is both hard work and expensive. You have to invest in marketing, run promotions & special offers, and pay for a sales team. So, once you have a customer you definitely don’t want to lose them.
By customer, I don’t mean someone who comes into your shop or contacts you about your product, that is a prospect. A customer is someone who has purchased from you and will buy again, and again, and again……. for as long as you allow them to!
And remember it is pretty easy to get rid of a customer, some businesses seem to be experts at it! We all know of a business that seems determined to scare us off by giving poor service, being rude and unhelpful, being difficult to buy from, not having the stock they should, or selling a low-quality product.
Do you really know the level of your Customer Service?
You may think your team always does a great job, but how can you really be sure they are always polite and attentive, and making the customer feel important?
Do they stop whatever they are doing immediately and acknowledge the customer and engage with them? Are they proactive in being generally helpful and providing good, accurate advice? If they don’t know the answer, are you sure they aren’t blagging it but offering to go and find the correct information?
How can you ensure your team is cheerful during their time at work? Let’s face it, none of us like dealing with a miserable negative person!
If your business is online, how are you providing a great experience to your customers?
- Is the product or service description on your website accurate, is it exactly what will be delivered?
- Can customers ask questions about their planned purchase with a real person (AI is just not there yet!).
- Are there any other products that the customer will need to use the product? For example, I recently ordered a new chain cleaner for my bike for which I also need a bottle of cleaner fluid to use it. How is that made clear?
- What delivery options do I have? Next day, same day or can I choose the date and time?
I know everyone reading this is saying “yes, of course!” to all of the above! My challenge to you is do you actually know the level of your customer service or are you just hoping or assuming it’s great?!
Doing what you say you will do is the minimum level of service you should deliver.
Once your business has successfully secured a prospect, can they buy what they want from you, and fully understand when will it be delivered? This obviously varies depending on the product;
- In a baker’s you expect a loaf of bread to be available immediately
- In a car showroom, you expect to wait for a new car to be delivered.
- There is also a grey area, for example, if you buy a new computer, you would expect it to be available immediately, however, if the new computer is setup for you with all your software installed and your accounts configured, you will have to prepared to wait a few days.
Make sure that when the customer receives the product or service it looks and feels like it is high quality, and that you can support your claim that it is. Ensure you measure the number of returns you get, or poor feedback received, this is critical to understand your reputation in the marketplace.
There is no better way to upset a customer than not delivering on your promises!
So always do what you say you are going to do, most obvious is do you meet or surpass your delivery promises? If you say it will arrive on Wednesday, does it and how are you checking? From your customer’s perspective, he is engaging with you, not the courier firm, so everything reflects on you! Just doing what you say is the minimum level of service you should deliver.
How are you WOWing your customers?
Very simply make it easy to buy from your business;
- Easy for the client to find what they want
- Easy to pay
- Easy to come back and buy more
The bottom line is to treat your client how they want to be treated!
You’ve spent all that time and money generating leads, developing prospects, and converting them into customers so don’t drive them away! Build a relationship with them, letting them know about deals or events you are running. Keep in touch (in a non-harassing way) so that they think of you when they want to buy again.
Invite your customers to become part of a wider community of people like them by inviting them to a special viewing of new products. Art galleries often hold viewing of an artist’s work for their top clients, so what is your equivalent event?
And ensure you treat your customers with integrity, be helpful and knowledgeable, ensure the price has no hidden extras and the product is what they expected.
Wow them!
If you would like help to understand the above in more detail, email rupertturton@actioncoach.co.uk
