Keeping Your Customers is all that Matters

Can your Business Afford to Lose Customers?

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In Hard Times, being able to Keep your Customers is All that Matters

The current financial crisis happening in America and the World has many implications for your business.  But, in the end, keeping your current customers will be the most important priority you will have.  I would contend that the current level of service that most businesses provide – though adequate – is not enough, and that the successful businesses in the coming years will be adding a whole new dimension to their Customer Relationship efforts.

So what are your options to ensure you keep your current customers?  You can advertise more, maybe become more disciplined in the execution of your brand, or you might try to improve your products – but, with all these strategies you will probably spend more money and still not be sure it will keep your customers coming back.  I believe there is really only one way to keep your current customers and have them bring their friends and family into your customer community.  The future of keeping loyal customers is finding ways to get more in touch with them, getting those customers to become part of your business’ “community”, and this can only happen if they increase the amount of interaction they have with your business.

Think about this question.  What are the reasons you are loyal to a business.  Think about the person who works on your hair, or where you buy your food, or your favorite restaurant.  There are easy parts to this answer – you like the products or services they provide, you are familiar with how the business works, you trust that every visit will be consistent and there will be no surprises, and in many cases you have become friends with one of that business’ employees – You look forward to that brief conversation about current community events, how the family is doing, just common chat about life and feeling connected.

The answer to keeping loyal customers is creating a “community” of employees and customers that extend way beyond what we now all experience, “professional customer service”.  The future will demand creating an interactive, engaged community of employees and customers that care for each other and the health of the business.

So how do you create this environment and, at the same time, cut expense?    ____??

The answer is “Customerville” – Creating a 24/7 listening system, and creating  direct feedback in a non-threatening way, allowing you to solve problems before they become organizational problems.  “Customerville” creates an interactive relationship between the Business and the Customers so you can better understand a changing customer.  It provides management with a viable way to honor and reward staff for positive customer comments and the fastest way to react to bad customer experiences.  And “Customerville” provides an opportunity for staff to connect with their customers directly, opening up lines of communication.

“Customerville” is a customer feedback system that serves as a catalyst for building a community of employees and customers.

So what about saving money?  All businesses will be re-evaluating all operating expenses.  Advertising, training, and human resources will be some of the first expenses reviewed.  Do the dollars spent give a clear return to helping the business survive?

With “Customerville”, you can remove customer service training and focus on product knowledge and policy training.  With “Customerville”, you will have a 24/7 customer survey system, no longer needing to be concerned that you don’t know what your customer is thinking.  “Customerville” can provide a continuous customer-focused culture with rewards to your employees directly related to customer input.  “Customerville” provides a consistent and timely customer service dashboard to keep constant focus on your customer’s perception of their experience with your business.  And finally, “Customerville” will provide you with a growing number of valuable emails from people who have invested their time and emotion in your business.  This will be your best marketing list.

“Customerville” delivers a highly-focused Customer Service Culture, and will help you maintain a loyal customer while saving you money.