It's another week and another day to discuss some important things in the entrepreneurial space. And, today, I find it interesting to join in the conversation initiated by @damarysvibra a day ago on the subject of customer retention.
How do you get them to come back again and again like there's nowhere else they can get the service you provide? This question is something every serious entrepreneur must find answers to in order to succeed in their entrepreneurial journey.
Customers are the lifeblood of any business, they are the reason for the operation of the market. That's why it's often said that the customer is always right. This means that the customer in fact, holds the key to success in any business. In this regard, it's therefore important that every entrepreneur do their utmost best to maintain a steady customer flow for the health of their ventures.
The question now is, how do you retain the customers to make them stick with you continuously?
I will approach this discussion from two points of view. First, I have to put myself in the shoes of a customer. What will make me want to come back to stick with a particular service provider when there are hundreds to thousands of others in the same business in the market.
There are things I would like about a business outlet that would make me never go anywhere else. One of those things is the quality of services or products they offer. Quality is one of the reasons why I would stick with a particular service provider. For example, if you are a man who usually cuts your hair regularly, you must have had experience with different barber shops.
There are those who will just run around your hair in a hurry with their clippers and they are done with the job and ask you to pay. However, there are places you go to have your hair cut where they give you extra treatment like giving you a free shampoo hair wash or giving your hair some nice treatment with good hair cream. From these two barbershops you know which I would like to come back to whenever I get to cut my hair. That extra treatment, though small it might be, is enough for a customer to keep coming back.
As a customer, how you relate with me matters to me, and contributes to why I should come back again to do business with you. Manner of speaking or approach is of consideration here. If you don't speak to me appropriately I won't ever do business with you even if your business outlet is next door to where I live.
Another thing is that you should not waste my time when I come to do business with you. I expect prompt response to enquiry and absolute attention when needed. If I come to you and you feel busy ignoring me or making me wait unnecessarily, you don't expect me to return to you when there are other places I can get what I need. That's my approach as a customer.
Now, as an entrepreneur who offers services and products, the approach of retaining customers varies based on the service you offer and the environment you are operating in. The first thing is to know what the customers want before even venturing into the trade. Once you have what the customers want you are sure to have them stick around for a long time.
There is one secret of retaining customers that every entrepreneur should know. This secret works like magic, something that will make people ask why customers keep coming back to you again and again. It's not even a secret, only that only a few people pay attention to it. What am I talking about? Share profits with your customers!
This is not like giving a discount, it is a different thing entirely. Occasionally, give your customers gifted items or even cash. Let them know that you appreciate their patronage and continuous support for your business. This gesture may not even be for everyone, but the effect can go a long way for the success of your business.
Word of mouth travels faster than anything else. Those who received gifts from you will become your advertiser even though they know not everyone can get the privilege of receiving a gift.
Another important thing is to learn to befriend your customers. You don't have to be too professional in your business approach. Your customers are humans and they have concerns. Your relationship with them shouldn't just be about business. Leave your desk and come down to relate with them about life and other commonalities. Of course, there has to be a boundary in this kind of relationship and your customers too will understand that.
When your customers become your friends, they are sure to stick with you in your business venture.
Customers are the key to a successful venture, therefore entrepreneurs must do all within their power to retain them for the progress of their businesses.