I have seen a lot of small business owners foam about not having clients or their monthly client reduction.
You deliver amazing products and quality of service, but your customer service delivery is horrible, yet you foam about not getting clients.
Why you dey complain?
It’s not enough to land customers if you cannot retain them. Customer retention is a crucial aspect of business success.
While acquiring new customers is important, retaining existing customers is equally, if not more, valuable.
I have a guy that fixes my Air-condition, he reaches me frequently to ask about the condition of his work and how it is fairing. You could feel that he cares genuinely about the quality of his work.
I don’t know how or where he learned this, but he’s good at his work and most importantly excellent at customer service.
Be like jazz, I am stuck with him until he moves funny.
Running a small business comes with its own set of challenges, but building and maintaining strong customer relationships is a crucial aspect of success.
It’s not about getting reviews from them for the sake of posting on social media, people know when you care genuinely about them and when you do it for aesthetics.
See, my friends, customers are the lifeblood of any thriving business. Without customers, a business is essentially a stagnant entity.
That is why it is crucial to understand how to effectively engage and connect with your customers, consistently demonstrating your care and commitment to their satisfaction.
Outlined below are several strategies to foster connections with your customers and cultivate enduring relationships that inspire loyalty to your business.
Value Your Customers' Feedback
Customer feedback plays a pivotal role in establishing a strong connection with your customers. It is imperative not to overlook any input provided by your customers regarding the quality of your products, customer service, or any processes and transactions within your company.
Taking customer feedback seriously enables you to identify areas for improvement while also making the customer feel valued and involved in the process.
Maintain Effective Follow-up
Implementing a follow-up system is a simple yet impactful method to earn customer appreciation. Nobody enjoys submitting a complaint or inquiry only to be met with silence.
By promptly responding to customers at every stage of their buying journey, you establish a strong connection and foster customer loyalty. This approach also keeps your business at the forefront of their minds.
When an existing customer makes a new or unique purchase, take the initiative to follow up and ensure their satisfaction.
Additionally, following up serves as a valuable tool to identify dissatisfied customers before their negative experience escalates into an unfavourable online review.
Maintain an Active Presence on Social Media
Nowadays, potential customers often check a company's online presence before deciding to engage with them. As customers actively search for products and services on social media platforms, your business must have an active presence there to ensure they can discover you.
Allocate some time to identify the social platforms that align best with your product or service.
Show Appreciation
Customers want to know you recognize their importance and suggestions; from when they place an order to when they suggest adding a little feature to your existing product, a little “thank-you” does more than you can think of.
Meanwhile, have you registered for the 6th edition of the CLSME Bootcamp?
Bootcamp Registration - https://forms.gle/v5TfjoDYzf5UdhYH9
You will read more from me about the Bootcamp in the coming days! This year’s Bootcamp is coming with a massive bang! We are hosting a post-event cocktail and networking event!
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Join us to get more timely information on our events, programs and opportunities.
Ayo Bankole Akintujoye
Instagram @AyoBankolee