Customer Retention

Most people think that customer retention is only about keeping your current customers happy. The data on that actually doesn’t pan out. Customer retention turns out to be a multivariable and industry specific problem. What isn’t uncommon is wanting to turn first time visitors into repeat business for life. The better their first few experiences, the easier it is to work with you, the better and more consistent your product, and the more they feel seen and served can all affect if they will ever think about taking their business somewhere else. Some industries can even stop marketing all together based entirely on their ability to create repeat customers. If you invest your resources in understanding what your customers want from the product, how they want to get it, and how they want to be treated you will find they show up time and time again. 

First Impressions

For many businesses, how well you serve the customer on their very first encounter will be the major factor in if they walk through your doors a second time. For instance, if a restaurant can get you to eat there 3 times, they will probably have you returning for the rest of your life. That might mean heavily investing in those first few experiences. Unexpectedly comping their entre, personal service from a manager, free deserts or an appetizer and suddenly you’re their favorite date spot for life. When it comes to first impressions one can never be too good.

Improve Customer Support

In some areas, customer support makes all the difference. This might mean taking a personal hand in helping a customer with a problem that you wouldn’t normally handle, making a call to find information they need, even if it’s not your department for example. Speed, effectiveness, and delivery all matter when it comes to a customer in need of help. This is especially true if you respond to customers in a moment of true need. A car crash, insurance or financial difficulty, healthcare, these are all areas that can thrive or dive based on their customer support.

Personal Connection

This is where being attentive in your day to day business can strengthen a brand to the point where you build ride-or-die fans. Fans are built on paying extra attention to WHO your customers are, attending to them as people and not just a number. Maybe it’s a bouquet of flowers to a client who’s just got a promotion, sending a thank you note for a big order with a jersey from their favorite sports team attached, a personal drink recommendation that becomes a hit at their event. This is all about having your hands in the mix and really caring for and serving the people who come into your business. Be it in person or on social media, a direct connection to those that you serve is a huge way to keep them coming back. 

Bring It All Together

So don’t be afraid to use what you see people posting or talking about to create relevant content, or offer some extra benefit to those that come into your shop or office. Take the time to go above and beyond when fixing any issues that your customers might have. And make sure that from the moment you first come in contact with them that they know they are taken care of.
By building a positive first impression, adapting to their needs and problems and helping each person your business interacts with feel personally attended you’ll never have a problem getting people to see you a second, third, or hundredth time.