How to Create Long-Term Customer Relationships
COMMUNICATION
1. Answer customers’ questions and concerns right away, no matter how you receive them.
2. Emphasize positivity with your employees — focus on what you can do for your customers, not what you can’t.
3. Avoid using industry jargon when interacting with customers, and always make sure they understand you.
4. Never give customers the impression that you don’t care about them.
5. Stay in touch — whether it’s with an email newsletter, a periodic phone call or on social media.
SERVICE
1. Always keep your promises to customers.
2. Use mystery shoppers to test your customer service on a regular basis.
3. Be a solution to your customers’ problems, no matter what they are (within reason) and even if they have nothing to do with your business (if it’s possible for you to help).
4. Always make your customers’ convenience your highest priority.
5. Have a plan for how you’ll respond when you underperform for your customers — and follow it every time.
PRESENTATION
1. Make sure your locations and websites are impeccable.
2. Keep your branding consistent across your physical and online presences.
3. Make sure your employees embody a positive attitude in every interaction they have with customers.
4. Include small gifts with invoices to let customers know they are appreciated.
5. Make your customers’ products and services part of your presentations to other potential customers, because this demonstrates your commitment to long-term relationships.
Blog courtesy of www.ownerconnect.com. Building long-term relationships with customers is crucial if your business is to have any hope of sustainable success.
