A key factor in a successful business, or at least repeated business, is learning how to manage customer expectations. This is essential for a thriving business with loyal fans that come back for more excellent service. It can take a long time to build this kind of trust. But there are several methods you can use to improve relationships and ensure your valued clients always return.
So, here are a few suggestions you can begin using today and get started on a productive journey.
Stay Productive with CRM Software
First, it can become something of a challenge to handle more than a handful of repeat customers. This is where customer relationship management (CRM) software comes in handy. There are many CRM apps you can use. But the best CRM apps include integrations with other services such as HubSpot migration, contact syncing and easy-to-use features across a wider team. Some of the best you can begin using today include Zoho CRM, Zendesk and Creatio.
Make Regular Contact
Keeping in touch with customers might seem strange. But it can help forge a long-lasting relationship if you show you care. Of course, the overarching reason is to build trust for repeat sales. And there is a method for doing this correctly to keep it professional. So, try these:
- Call customers at a time that you believe or know to be convenient for them.
- Never spam customers with contacts such as emails and SMS push notifications.
- Always tailor any communications to specific customers or segmented groups.
- Only contact customers via their chosen preferred medium if they have specified.
- Automate digital contact methods if they work for a specific customer segment.
Sticking to these simple rules will help you contact customers without being too pushy. Additionally, it helps to try to strike a balance of keeping in touch regularly but not too infrequently. Around once per week is recommended by most digital marketing agencies.
Manage Customer Expectations with Relationships
You can achieve long-lasting business if you cultivate a strong relationship with your valued clients and customers. Short-term appreciation is a valuable thing. But over the longer period, customers will come to appreciate and, above all, trust you if you deliver a strong personal service. You can do this by establishing an interest in what your clients do for their business. And you can even become more than their preferred supplier with an active partnership.
Make Time for Value Clients
It will take a long time to build a strong relationship with your customers. However, you can make this stronger by slowly working towards the goal of establishing trust and loyalty. Make time for dealing with preferred clients. And always go out of your way to meet new ones that can bring business to the table. Additionally, if at all possible, never keep valued repeat clients on hold, and always schedule time in your day for a friendly call back if you miss a phone call.
Cater to Specific Needs
In almost all types of business, each customer will have different needs. Therefore, you can greatly enhance your business prospects and build more loyalty if you go out of your way to meet their individual expectations. To do this, you must spend time getting to know your client and taking an active interest in what they do and are trying to achieve. For these reasons, a blanket approach won’t work. As well as this, you also need to be aware of any long-term changes.
Never Overpromise and Underdeliver
The worst thing you can do in business of any kind is promise more than you can deliver. When you tell a customer you can do something, they will expect it. And they are also paying you for a service which you have a legal responsibility to provide. So you must only promise what you can deliver. If you don’t, you will disappoint customers. And this leads to a loss of professional integrity, made worse by modern responses such as poor reviews and online testimonials.
Use Feedback to Enhance the Experience
You can spend all your time thinking you are providing the best service possible. And you might do so. However, there is always room for improvement. And you can miss things by looking at them from only one point of view. Therefore, customer feedback is essential for improvements:
- Feedback can help you take control of things that might be slipping away from you.
- It’s essential to highlight areas that are failing or need strong improvement.
- You can use feedback to assess customer service areas that are no longer relevant.
- Feedback can help identify changing trends within your industry, niche or sector.
- You provide a method of actively listening to your customer’s needs.
- Learning where you can improve can boost your own motivation to improve.
- You can use feedback to improve services across all levels of your business.
- Provide multiple methods of feedback to cover a wider net for responses.
There isn’t a successful business in the world that doesn’t use feedback to improve services. But how do you go about it? Some of the most effective methods of feedback include online surveys, using social media tools such as polls, and analyzing various forms of user data.
Act Fast to Any Issues
As mentioned, feedback can help identify areas for improvement. But gathering feedback and acting upon it can take some time. However, if there is something of concern when it comes to customer management, you must be responsive and act quickly. Dealing with customer complaints is a perfect example. But you should also act fast on issues such as shipping logistics, payment difficulties and helping to troubleshoot a customer-specific problem.
Keep Service to the Same High Standards
For most customers, just like yourself, all they want is a consistent service that delivers what they need every time. This is one of the keys to a successful method of building trust and loyalty. When a customer knows you will always get the job done, they are much more likely to come back. However, you can also take advantage of your excellent customer service by including valued and verified customer experience comments on your website and social media.
Use Different Contact Methods
Some customers love sitting with you and discussing things face-to-face. Then again, others hate this idea. And there are time and geographical restrictions that can prevent a meeting. However, modern technology means you can always contact someone when needed. And it helps to discuss their preferred method beforehand. For instance, you can meet remotely and virtually with customers using Zoom. And even simple email chats are still highly popular today.
Always Manage Customer Expectations with Honesty
There are many things that a customer values. But more than anything, they just want you to be honest and upfront. According to a recent survey by Adobe, 94 per cent of respondents placed honesty high on the list of what they want from a supplier or service. Therefore, it helps to be honest about everything. If you realize you cannot meet a customer service mid-project, let them know immediately. Most customers understand things will go wrong and will appreciate the honesty.
Give Them a Reason for Doing Business
For almost any business or service, there are many other competitors. So you must give your customers reasons for using your service rather than theirs. This helps your customers understand that you are the better choice that will deliver.
Here are some methods to use:
- Offer expert advice and suggestions that guide customers to meet personal needs.
- Recommend additional services and products that will help them in the long term.
- Don’t pressure customers into sales, and give them some time to consider using you.
- Explain how you will keep their data to provide personalized services later on.
- Identify any gaps in the competition and offer some extra services that fill these in.
The aim of having customers choose your business and then come back for more is easier said than done. But you can improve these chances by simply going above and beyond just selling them something. Make your customers feel like you understand what they need now and later.
Offer Incentives for Repeat Business
Showing your customers a good reason for using you is effective for immediate sales. But for long-term services, it helps to ensure your customers have a good reason for coming back. You can reward loyalty by providing extra things guaranteed to put a smile on your customers’ faces. Some common examples include an extremely high level of customer service, discounts for repeat business in certain products, and decreasing rates for using your services over a long period of time.
Summary
When you manage customer relationships more effectively, you greatly increase the chances of repeat business, brand loyalty and establishing trust. All of these mean your customers keep coming back and bring in more revenue. But it is hard to do this. Some advice you can take on board includes using good CRM apps, using customer feedback to improve your services, and going above and beyond with great service and incentives for your customers to come back.
