There are plenty of customer retention strategies out there, and many of these strategies are already fairly well-known. Providing great support for your users is one such strategy, and using automated chatbots to supplement customer service is another.
But how about those approaches that aren’t quite so well-known? What about the changes you can make to your operations that will help you keep your customers for longer – changes you can make straight away? This is what we’re going to be talking about in this article. Read on to learn more.
Improve Honesty and Transparency
It’s tempting to try to be perfect all the time. You want to be the best in your field, and you want your customers to recognise this, so you try to project an image with no failings whatsoever. But this does not reflect reality – we all make mistakes, and it’s best to be honest about these mistakes.
If you’ve fallen short on your service promise, take responsibility. Be honest, apologise for the error, and offer your customers something to make up for this. Consumers will value this honest and transparent approach, and they will respond well to sincere attempts to improve.
Hone Your Business Identity
What does your business stand for? What makes you unique and different from your competitors? Consider these questions, and then make sure you communicate the answers in your messaging. These are vital pillars of your overall business identity.
The identity of your business is crucial. Your customers want to work with companies that reflect their own personal values. Many customers will actively seek out responsible businesses with fair trade practices and environmentally sound operations. If these values are part of your business ethos, make this known to your customers, and they will be more likely to remain with you.
Gamify Where Appropriate
Gamification is an increasingly popular method of engaging and retaining customers. By giving your customers an opportunity to score points, complete challenges, and gain rewards, you are fostering an environment of real engagement, which your audience will love to be a part of.
But it’s best to use this technique sparingly. Not every customer interaction is an opportunity to gamify, and engagement strategies should always put the customer first. When customers have urgent needs – if they need emergency support, for example – promoting the latest loyalty scheme leaderboard is probably not a good idea. Think about what the customer wants to achieve from each interaction, and then make your decision on whether or not this is a good chance to advertise competitions and engagement programs.
Be Polite
This one is already a given for most business owners. You say please and thank you, and you are courteous to your customers whenever they reach out to you or you to them. As your business grows, however, it’s easy to forget about these points of politeness. You’ve got a million and one other tasks to think about, so personal touches can sometimes take a back seat.
The thing is, customers genuinely value this politeness. Thanking your customers after they make a purchase or when they offer feedback only takes a second, but it gives the impression that you really care, and this is crucial if you’re going to retain key consumers. Automated tools and messages make this even easier, and you can foster great relationships with just a simple automated message.
Get Focused When it Comes to Problem Solving
Delivering real solutions to real problems is what business success is all about. Your customers know they can come to you when they have a certain need, and that you will offer the answer. But there’s a limit to this – you can’t be the solution to every problem.
Don’t try to be a “jack of all trades.” Remember what the second part of that phrase is: “master of none.” Instead, focus on being the go-to solution provider for two or three genuine problems in your field. Your customers will see through any business that claims to be best at everything, and will prefer to stick with the more specialised “masters”.
Put a Plan in Place for those “Last Resorts”
We hope it doesn’t come to this, but there may be times when your customers are genuinely thinking about jumping ship. This is a natural part of doing business – sometimes customers just lose interest, or perhaps they have their heads turned by other brands.
It may be worth making one final effort to win these customers back. By tracking customer behaviour, you’ll be able to see when loyal clients have gone quiet or when long-term customers have started leaving negative feedback. Reaching out at the right time, with a high-value offer, can be highly effective in restoring a connection.
Keep More Customers and Achieve a Stable Base for Growth
Customer retention equals stability, and stability equals sustainable growth. Find out more about how you can keep hold of more of your customers – reach out to our team, schedule a consultation, and get your Free Marketing Plan today.
