A Guide To Maximizing Customer Retention

There is nothing like getting your first sale from a customer, and then watching for future sales that never arrive. Learning how to retain customers after that primary sale is critical if you want to be a more successful business owner.

Consider these points to increase customer retention rates:

Keep Doing What They Love and Expect

Making promises that you cannot keep is a sure way to lose customers. Grayson Lafrenz from Forbes suggests that you should do what you say you are going to do to ensure you are meeting the expectations that you set with customers. Keep in mind that some customers leave because they no longer appreciate the brand, or if they feel that the company has changed its products and services in an uninviting or negative way.

Customers who return expect you to keep on delivering exceptional products and services they love. If you don’t, they won’t. Without a doubt, business owners who make sure to keep customers interested can gain their loyalty. If your customers responded well to a particular product or promotion, keep presenting them with more of the good stuff to retain them.

Construct a User-Friendly Site and Shop

If customers cannot quickly find what they need by navigating your site, you risk losing sales from repeat customers. As customers become familiar with the ease of using newer, refined technologies, they expect the businesses they deal with to upgrade as well. Navigating an extremely slow website or buggy shopping cart to purchase that first product or service they may have tolerated, but having to deal with the same issues the next time around is a turnoff. Integrating the best technology on your website to make it easier for consumers to browse and execute transactions is wise.

Listen to What Customers are Saying

Although you may be thrilled to see sales rolling in, it is essential to pay attention to what customers are saying about your brand and their experience. If some customers dislike a product or service, they may merely never buy it again, but others may share the terrible experience with their friends and followers online. If a prospective customer stumbles upon a negative review from a former paying customer, they may avoid your business as well. Follow-up surveys by email or phone are a great way to discover what paying customers are saying about your business, their level of satisfaction, and the quality of service.

Engage on Social Media

There are hundreds of millions of people all over the world who use social media on any given day, and some of those people are your loyal customers. Engaging with them through social media posts and videos allows you to build deeper relationships, and it entices prospective customers who are seeking an exceptional customer experience. Engaging online with satisfied customers increases their level of comfort and contentment with your services, and it boosts your credibility with your target audience.

Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Every customer wants to feel appreciated by the businesses that they spend their money with, and bad customer service at any time can repel even the most devoted customer. It is critical that anyone who engages with your customers is polite, well-informed and helpful so that you do not lose profits. Cheryl Harper from Southern Cross Cleaning recommends that you explicitly explain to all your employees the importance of genuine and kind customer service. The price of a single employee who rubs a customer the wrong way can cost you a high paying client. Ensuring that everyone on your team receives advanced customer service training helps you establish a business known for providing superb service.

Handle Dissatisfied Customers Quickly

When a customer makes a purchase and is dissatisfied, it is crucial to attempt to remedy the situation as soon as possible to retain the sale and the customer. In this highly connected day and age, disgruntled customers gone rogue on social media is fast becoming a standard of striking back. A single review placed on a website that is never addressed by the company can deter tons of sales, but engaging with the customer and aiming to make it right goes a long way with everyone who is reading and watching online. Done correctly, that same customer can be transformed into a loyal client.

If a customer has not purchased anything in a while, you can still influence them to return. Karl Wirth from Entrepreneur states that “creating a win-back email campaign is the best way to re-engage leads with your email, boost deliverability and increase conversions.” Not only can you win customers back, but a consumer may prefer your company more after seeing the lengths that your business goes to reach out and satisfy them.

If your product or service is something that can be bought more than once, then customer retention is vital. Remember that a customer may find his or her way to your site or product link in a number of different ways, so you must make sure to keep customers interested long beyond that initial buy with various marketing and retention methods. Businesses that recognize the value of customer retention can take the steps to build a solid reputation and a loyal customer base over time.