Developing Customer Loyalty & Retention

One of the most important aspects of any business or organization is developing customer loyalty and retention. In simple terms it means making the customer want to come back and buy your product or service again and again.  Successful businesses have amazing customer services, take a look around and see for yourself.

I bet this question has popped in your head many time that why some customers don’t come back after buying your product or service? The answer is simple “Customer Service” & “Product Quality”. Having the two of them together is like having the perfect relationship. It is also the basis of developing customer loyalty and retention.

With the intense competition in todays’ markets a business cannot afford to lose even a single customer. This is where the concept of developing customer loyalty and  retention comes into play.

Marketers should understand that if a new customer comes to their shop they should be focusing on providing the best customer service that they can. Here are some of the ways to do it:

• Be the best friend to your customers. Be polite, understanding and focus on their needs and wants. Don’t try to sell them something they don’t want to buy and don’t push them too hard to buy a product. Let the customer decide and you just be the guide.

• Always remember what your mom taught you when you were just a kid that ‘Honesty is the best policy’. Customers really don’t like being lied to. If you lie to a customer just to make a small profit, beware of its consequences. Word of mouth spreads like wildfire. You may end up losing other potential customers as well as the one.

• Build customer loyalty one person at a time. Make the customer feel important by giving all your attention to him/her. Listen with intention. Treat each customer like they are your only customer.

• Create a connection or a bond with the customer this will gain you more customers. Creating a bond with the customers is one of the most important aspects of developing customer loyalty and retention. Know the customer and try to make sure the customer knows you. A happy customer and loyal customer will always refer others to you thus, increasing your customer base.

• Do not hesitate to do a few favors for your customers.

• Bend the rules if you have too, it might cost you at the time but in the long run you will be the ultimate beneficiary.

• A customer is not always right but a customer is ALWAYS the customer whether they are right or wrong, they buy things and they spend money; and businesses success involves selling goods and services to ALL CUSTOMERS including the concerned ones and window shoppers. Because all customers spend money and we want them to keep coming back.

• Be proactive, not reactive to try and pull people back as once they are gone they are gone

• Something you should never forget “It takes months to find a customer & seconds to lose one”.

• Develop and Create customer loyalty programs for your loyal customers. Take good care of those who take care of you.

 

Keep in mind that this is not just for you, the one behind the counter, but for the whole marketing & sales team. We are what we are because of customers and not the other way around, always remember that.