Where would your company be if not for its customers? Customer appreciation plays a huge role in customer retention. According to a Forbes Magazine study, 68% of customers leave a business because of “perceived differences.” In other words, about seven out of ten of your customers no longer do business with you because they perceive you don’t care.
As a small business, it can be difficult to express how much you really do care to each customer that does business with your company. But here is why you should be making more time for customer retention:
Customer retention is important to business growth. All your customers want is a little love. There are so many creative ways to show your customers you appreciate them. Here are a few ways Levy Recognition tells its biggest asset, “thank you for doing business with us.”
Give Them Swag
People LOVE free stuff! They also love telling their friends and family about businesses they have just discovered and products they love. Sharing branded swag with your customers is a great way to get your company’s logo in front of hundreds while also making your customers feel appreciated. Customers are more likely to keep branded merchandise that serves a useful purpose. Think umbrellas, USB drives, stuffed animals for their kids, and can koozies. The possibilities are endless when it comes to products you can use to thank customers for their continued business.
Share Their Stories
Case studies and portfolio highlights are a great business development tool. Make customers feel good about the products and services you have provided for them by highlighting them as a headliner for your brand. Post photos, customer testimonials, campaign results and other humble brags about things you and your customers have achieved together. Your customers will appreciate the homage. The best part- potential new customers can read about the work you have done and base their purchasing decisions off the stories you’ve posted about your customer’s stories.
Of Course, Provide Customer Service
It goes without saying- customer service is key and believe it or not, people enter a customer service experience expecting to be disappointed. How your employees communicate with customers is a reflection of the service they expect to receive. Customers value personal experiences and want to feel like the person they are speaking to is genuinely concerned about the customer’s needs. Everyone in your company should be trained in the basics of communication. Employees show that your company is considerate of its customers by returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner. Responding to customer questions and comments with accuracy and poise can prevent customers from feeling like they are being “blown off” or “getting the run around.” Sticking to company policies and finding solutions to customer issues shows that your company practices integrity, values customer opinions, and wants to do the right thing. Being a company that makes things right is one of the best ways to make your customers feel appreciated and strengthen their loyalty.
Provide customers with a simple way to access sales representatives, customer service providers and others within your company. Better yet, have employees take the initiative to call and check in on frequent customers now and then. Being remembered adds an extra special touch to the quality services they already receive from your business.
Customers who feel appreciated and remembered are more likely to return to your business for additional products and services. Shower your company's customers with gifts, praise and quality customer service and watch your retention numbers increase year after year. Want more ideas on how to retain customers with branded merchandise and other creative techniques? Drop us a line! We'll be happy to speak with you!