Have you ever been angry with a company that you’ve employed or purchased from?
Probably.
If your frustrations were never dealt with properly, did you go back to that company?
Probably not.
If you were floored and delighted by the service or product that company provided, would you use them again?
I imagine so.
If you want your business to grow, keeping your clients happy is a great way to ensure that happens. Take a lesson from your own consumer habits. Happiness leads to repeat business.
So, keep your customers happy! Here are seven methods you can employ to make sure your clients have a great experience with your business.
1. Get Feedback and Act On It
Make sure you’re constantly getting feedback from your clients, whether through formal surveys or casual conversation. Always keep learning and pushing yourself to be the very best that you can be in your industry and for your clients.
Take that feedback and use it to improve your products or services. Feedback is only valuable to you and your customers if it is actually applied!
Happy customers are those who feel like their voices are being heard.
2. Go the Extra Mile
When a customer has a problem, go above and beyond to solve it.
Show them that you care about them and that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to fix the issue.
This also applies when they don’t have any problems. Go the extra mile, ALWAYS! Don’t deliver any kind of product that is just “ok” or that will “get the job done.” Create excellence in all that you do, from the products and services you deliver to the way you deliver them and every person or platform your customers interact with along the way.
This will build loyalty and keep them coming back.
3. Be Responsive
No one likes to be ignored. If your customers reach out to you, make sure you respond in a timely manner. Whether it’s through email, social media, or on the phone, being responsive shows that you prioritize your clients and their needs.
At Lemonade Stand, we have a “ten minute” rule for emails and a “one ring” rule for phone calls. We try to never let a client email go unanswered for longer than ten minutes and strive to make sure the phone never goes past one ring (and definitely never goes to voicemail).
Even if you’re already working on the problem that they’re writing in about, it’s nice to send an immediate message letting them know that their message has been seen and the problem’s being looked into rather than just waiting until the issue is solved before sending them a reply. Whether it takes you an hour, a day, or a week or to resolve the issue, if they’re left in the dark, they’ll feel frustrated. A simple reassurance can go a long way. If you send a quick little reply, they know that you’re hard at work for them and won’t be put in an awkward situation where they feel they have to follow up with you just to know whether you’ve even read their email.
Be as responsive as you possibly can!
There’s no such thing as overcommunication when it comes to your clients’ requests!
4. Throw in Some Freebies
Everyone loves a good deal, so offer your clients discounts or specials from time to time.
You might even want to just throw in a small service that you normally charge for completely for free. Let them know that you’re going to do it for them simply because they are awesome and you appreciate them.
This will show them that you’re thinking of them and help keep them loyal to your business. The ROI of a customer who comes back again and again is much greater than the small cost of a freebie or discount!
5. Say “Thank You!”
It’s crazy how powerful the little words “thank you” can truly be.
Make sure that your clients know how grateful you are for them. They’ll only know if you tell them!
If you’re not grateful for them, well, get grateful! They’re the ones who keep you in business. Show them a little bit of appreciation for sticking with you and supporting your company.
6. Gifts!
Expounding on tips 4 and 5, sometimes it’s nice to go above and beyond a simple “thank you.”
We have a whole article dedicated to the concept of giving gifts based on a book that’s entirely dedicated to this idea. It’s pretty powerful!
I won’t go into too much detail on this one (you should really check out our Giftology article!), but make sure that the gifts you are giving are personally suited for each of your clients. You want something that is really going to make you stand out and be remembered by them.
A Christmas ham? They’ll get plenty of those from plenty of companies.
No, no.
You want to do something more, like finding out their favorite clothing brand and sending them a new shirt when a new lineup drops; sending them some merchandise for their favorite sports team; gifting them an experience they can share with their family; or another personalized solution. It really is the thought you put into it that counts! There are tons of ideas for gift giving, but the bottom line is that it can be an absolute game changer if done correctly.
7. Follow Up
Finally, be a little proactive and do some follow up with your clients.
After a client has used your product or service, follow up with them to see how it went. Make sure that they know you really care about them and that you’re wanting to improve wherever you can.
Address any issues that they have head on.
It’s much easier to make someone happy when you’re the one approaching them rather than when they come to you already angry and frustrated. Take the time to really care!
This shows that you’re interested in their experience and that you want to make sure they’re happy with what they received. Happy customers are repeat customers, so following up is a great way to keep them coming back.
Make and Keep Happy Clients
There are tons of different ways to make sure that your people are happy. This is just a small list of seven methods that we’ve seen really work for us.
I invite you to try a few and find out what works best for you!
Happy customers are the key to a successful business, so make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep them satisfied.
If you need any assistance in attracting quality customers, please give our team a quick call or send us your contact information. We would be absolutely delighted to help you in the quest to grow your business and as you try to find ways to surprise and delight your customers!
