In any business, there’s a lot of competition. It’s important to keep your clients happy and satisfied so you can keep them with you, instead of jumping ship to your competition. There are lots of great ways to keep your clients happy, but you can make sure they stay loyal by going above and beyond to really wow them.
Give Them More Than They Expect
Making some extra effort can go a long way. This could be something simple, like offering discounts or loyalty cards for long-term customers, or adding extra touches and services, like having British sign language interpreting available at meetings or events for those who need it.
You could send out things like free eBooks, offer free consultations, or throw in some extras when they order products from you. You don’t have to go nuts to be memorable.
Respond Quickly
There’s nothing more annoying than being stuck waiting for a response from a business you’re trying to work with. If your client gets in touch with you, make you send back a response promptly, whether you call or email. If you need time to hand their request, respond anyway to acknowledge what they are asking for and to give them a rough timeline. If you need a few days to get an answer or arrange a replacement product, just say so, so they at least know you received their email and are working on their issue.
Check In
If you’ve had a client with your business for a long time, it can be easy to get complacent and assume that everything is fine. Over time, their needs may have changed or your standards of service could have slipped a little. Make sure you check in with your existing clients on a semi-regular basis, even if you think everything is fine. You might find you were right, or you might find your client has a problem that you can solve that you didn’t know about.
You can ask for feedback in surveys or just by having your account managers call for a chat.
Stick To Your Word
There’s nothing that ruins a relationship with a client or customer faster than letting them down or lying to them. Make sure that you always stick to your word with your clients. The easiest way to do this is to set realistic expectations from the beginning, such as telling them how long it will be before they receive their order or exactly what you are going to do to solve a problem they are having.
If something goes wrong and timelines have to change or you can’t fulfil a promise you made, make sure you update the client as soon as possible. Give them a clear reason why, an alternative solution, and a polite apology.
Wowing your clients doesn’t have to mean blowing the budget or investing a lot of time. Some good customer service and making a little extra effort can be enough to keep your clients with you.
