What does it take to make new customers stick with you in the long run? And which type of customers do you think will return to your business over and over again?
The quality of your service will determine the quality of your customers. So, how do you master long-term customer loyalty and retention? Here are three more secrets …
1. Overdeliver confidence, no matter what.
I’ve talked about how this idea of “under-promising and over-delivering” is complete and utter BS. How do you expect customers to be in it for the long haul if you aren’t 100% confident in serving them? There’s no room for moderation here. Make BIG claims with unwavering confidence. Do whatever it takes to get the job done, and exceed all customer expectations in the process.
When communicating with customers, make statements that exude conviction:
“I can handle it.”
“Leave it with me.”
“I have the solution.”
Confidence is the glue that holds customer relationships together. Commit first and figure out the rest later.
Confidence is the glue that holds customer relationships together. Commit first and figure out the rest later.
2. Put REAL people on the phone.
Believe it or not, the No.1 complaint customers have is NOT being able to get a human on the phone when they have a question or concern.
When a customer wants to connect with your business seeking a solution to their problem, they don’t want automation. These people want to talk to other people – someone who has answers.
I mean, put yourself in their shoes. You have an issue you tried to fix online and the “FAQ” page didn’t help. Live chat didn’t either. You’re already irritated when you pick up the phone … Then, imagine being pushed to a robot. This machine is only going to make things worse for you.
So, as a business owner, the real solution here is to always have a live customer support person available.
It doesn’t matter how much it costs. If you have any hopes of getting this customer loyalty and retention thing right, you’ll commit to having a real human answer the phones.
Also, having someone pick up a call isn’t enough. Most importantly, the designated employee needs to maintain a GREAT attitude on every call.
3. Go overboard with positivity.
This leads me to one of the most powerful ways of all to increase customer retention rate. As simple as it sounds, maintaining a positive demeanor at all times can change everything for you.
No matter how ridiculous, aggressive, or overwhelming the customer gets, it’s your job to stay professional with a permanent can-do attitude. Otherwise, there will be negativity on both ends, and the situation will only escalate.
Somebody has to stay calm, rational and positive – that person has to be YOU. And it will only make your business more attractive for the customer. Negativity will always surrender to the positive. It can be tough at times, especially if you haven’t committed to this mindset before. But if you master the confidence piece I shared with you earlier, you’ll see how positivity becomes a direct result of it.
Here are some positive phrases you can work into your customer communications:
“I know you haven’t had pleasant experiences with other businesses. Let me change all that for you right now.”
“Thank you so much for educating yourself on our products and services – I love working with informed customers!”
“Allow me to handle all of this for you right now. I appreciate you reaching out and I want to earn your business every step of the way.”
This approach alone will set you apart from 80% of the businesses in your industry. People will spend more money on things that make them feel good than on things they actually need.
