Your job as a business owner does not stop once you have obtained a new customer. You have to work to make them stay and not have them look the other way. That is the more challenging part of keeping your business thriving. Once they have tried and sampled your products and services, you’d want to keep them coming back.
The funny thing is that many business owners do a lot of things that are driving customers away. Things that they thought will keep their customers are just actually pushing them away. What are these things? Could you be doing the same thing?
Speed Does Not Equate to Customer Service
Do not ever think that speedy service is equal to great service. Many business owners seem to confuse efficiency with quality and genuineness. A survey of customers will show you that they value hospitality more than speedy service. Sure, you managed to process the customer’s transaction in under five minutes. You cannot wait to accommodate the next guest. But here’s the thing, are the customers truly ready to leave the store, or do they have more questions?
Elderly customers might have more questions for you. While it can sometimes be a waste of time to humor customers, it is also what’s demanded from you. Customers expect to receive the highest quality service. Otherwise, they won’t give a second thought to never coming back to your store again.
Quality Products Do Not Cover Up Inadequate Facilities
No matter how great your products are, make sure to provide a good experience for your customers when they visit the office or store. A great first impression will go a long way toward turning these customers loyal to your brand. Imagine if they wanted to purchase something from your store only to find a dark and dilapidated building. Your website looked great but your store left so much to be desired.
There’s a simple way to address this issue. Find a better rental space in a more secured part of the city. Hire a professional cleaning company to maintain your store’s cleanliness and aesthetics. You should also try to update your office and store facilities and equipment.
Body Language Says More Than You Think It Does
You are paying too much attention to what you say that you forget about how you act. Is your back turned away from your customers to check on your phone? Do you look them in the eyes when you speak? Do you smile? Are your arms crossed over your chest? These are just some examples of bad body language. Your customers need to feel that they are welcome. They won’t feel that way until you show them hospitality, graciousness, and interest.
When they ask questions, follow up with questions of your own. This way, they will realize that you understand what they are looking for and you want to help. This is an opportunity to guide them in their decision-making process.
Customer Service Policies Should Be an Ally
When was the last time you reviewed your customer service policy? The most important component of this is the return and exchange policy. Do you allow products to be returned? What are the conditions? Make the process as seamless as possible. Customers prefer to be loyal to brands they know are confident enough to have a strong return and exchange policy.
And what about your response to negative reviews, testimonials, and feedback? How do you respond to those? Sometimes, business owners tend to get too attached to their products that they can’t think logically when they receive criticisms. Don’t let the negative feedback get the best of you. Ensure that you and the customer can get a fair outcome for whatever the issue is.
Good Marketing Does Not Mean Good Products
Even if you spend tens of thousands of dollars on your marketing campaigns, those don’t mean a thing if you do not sell good products. The core of your business is the quality of your products, and not the marketing campaign. The marketing strategy only complements the products. Do not fail to meet the expectations that your marketing strategies set. Work on creating good products and market them with a good campaign, too.
If you have already managed to attract your market enough for them to buy from your store or visit your office, this is your golden chance to turn them into loyal customers. Do not miss this opportunity. Although customers vary from business to business and market to market, one thing is clear: they want to be heard, valued, and appreciated, so show them that.
