Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis. Just
as it is bad news to send out too many emails to customers,
it is just as bad to not stay in contact with them. Customers
don't want to feel abandoned.
Here are three things to help you stay in touch.
Offer them your e-zine subscription at least once a month.
Ask customers if they want to be updated by e-mail when
you make changes to your Web site.
Follow-up after each sale to see if they are satisfied with
their purchase. Send an e-mail out a few days after their
purchase, another in a week or two, and then another in
a month.
Create a customer focus group by inviting 10 to 20 loyal
customers to meet regularly. Alternatively, send out a monthly
survey to this group asking for ideas and input on how to
improve your customer service. Give them a reward. Pay them,
give them a gift certificate, or send them free product.
Have a web site that is easy to navigate. Add a frequently
asked questions "FAQ" page and explain anything
that might confuse your customers or visitors. Follow-up
with an electronic survey with questions on how to increase
your sites user-friendliness.
Resolve customer complaints quickly and completely. Answer
all e-mail and phone calls within a few hours. This will
show your customers you really care about them.
Don't make your customers or visitors hunt for your contact
information. Make it easy for them to contact you. Offer
as many contact methods as possible. Hyperlink all your
e-mail addresses so they don't have to find or type it.
Offer a toll free number.
If you have strategic alliances or employees, make sure
they are familiar with your customer service policy. Give
your employees bonuses or incentives to practice excellent
customer service. Tell employees to be flexible with each
individual customer, each one has different concerns, needs
and wants.
Give your customers more than they expect. Send thank
you gifts to long time customers. E-mail them greeting cards
on holidays or birthdays if you have their address or online
cards if you only have their e-mail address and name. Give
bonuses to your customers who make a big purchase or multiple
purchases.
U-welcome, please, and thank you and can never be over
used. Be polite no matter what. Admit and apologize for
mistakes quickly and make it up to them in BIG ways if you
want them to continue being a customer.
Reward in points - give customers a point for every dollar
they spend. Set up a points-earned sheet. E-mail the customer
an update monthly. If they send you a referral they get
10 points, if they buy something add 10 more points.
If your business is local, invite customers to your office
for lunches, parties, barbecues, dances, seminars or other
special events.
It isn't what you perceive as valuable but what customers
see from their eyes. Yet, sometimes, you just can't please
some folks. If that occurs, do you best and then let it go.
You don't want them for clients anyway.
Catherine Franz, multibusiness owner, previous CPA,
veteran entrepreneur, speaker, marketing expert, author, is
available for consultants. Additional information: http://www.AbundanceCenter.com
