It can take a long time to gain new clients, but one false move, and you can lose them in a second
The customer is always right, well maybe not right, but you should always try to keep them complaint free – after all, they are what oils the wheels of your business. In a time when many have cut back on spending, maintaining and attracting new clientele is more important than ever.
It’s not just businesses that deal with the general public on a daily basis that need to think about customer service, nearly every company has some kind of end-user and being good at dealing with, and keeping, those end-users happy, might be the differentiator that sets a company apart from its competitors.
Offering something ‘extra’ can often generate more goodwill than money off and it doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Be flexible
The rigorous confines of nine to five are not convenient for everyone, particularly if your product is something people use in their spare time. While it may not be practical (or possible) to be on call 24-7, consider offering a skeleton service at the weekend and in the evenings – at the very least have an enquiry form on your website with the promise that someone will respond within 24 hours.
The personal touch
People like to feel like they’re dealing with people. Be personal in your approach and don’t rely on emails – they can often be misconstrued, particularly in sensitive situations. Increasingly, people seem scared to pick up the phone, but sometimes this is the best way and avoids confrontational messages appearing in your in-box.
Conversely, the Internet provides a great opportunity to generate familiarity with your clients. Facebook and Twitter provide a less formal medium to disseminate information and interact with your customer base. If used successfully, clients will start talking amongst themselves on your social networking channels, which gives you an insight into their needs, while hopefully generating free, positive publicity for your company. Using these channels will also help remind customers of your presence in a much cheaper way than traditional marketing methods.
Listen to your customers
It might sound scary, but invite customer feedback. Some of it will be hard to swallow, but by listening and reacting to client comments, you will be able to progress and improve your business model and customers will feel valued as you’ve responded to their needs. Include a feedback form on your website and send out questionnaires a couple of times a year. Many won’t bother, but those that are happiest and those that are completely dissatisfied are most likely to – these are both views that a business owner needs to hear.
Be supportive
Good after sales or ongoing support can be a crucial factor in choosing one supplier over another. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system will help you log the details of individual customers and their history of involvement with your company. This means that anyone giving them a call from your business will know important information instantly, helping to maintain relationships. After-sales support also provides opportunities for cross-selling and collecting feedback, so is doubly important.
Stay in touch
Don’t let your customers forget you. If glossy adverts and printed literature are out of your budget, send out regular e-newsletters. As long as you keep these fresh and interesting – maybe providing more generic, useful information than just the hard-sell – customers won’t mind receiving them, just make sure you give them the option to unsubscribe.
If you use an e-newsletter software programme, you’ll also be able to monitor how people react, how many open them and what stories they click on, which is useful information for subsequent marketing communications.
However big your business becomes, don’t lose sight of the importance of your customers – it can take a long time to gain new clients, but one false move, and you can lose them in a second.
Anita Brook is founder of Accounts Assist a growing firm of Chartered Accountants. She’s been advising small business, sole traders and consultants for 12 years
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