Keeping the Customer at the Forefront

A big part of growing as an organization is keeping at the forefront, the very people who utilize your products or services. It cannot be said often enough, the customer defines who you are as a business. While this may be a simple statement, it is amazing how many organizations make critical errors in the relationships they have with this all-important audience. The following five steps should help you to keep your customers at the forefront.

1. Pay attention to the company you keep! Sometimes, what seems like a good idea on the outset ends up being a major error in judgment. Organizations that decide to pursue a bad prospect, one that does not fit the profile of their typical customer, doesn’t appreciate their skill or simply treats them as a vendor, ends up wasting time and precious resources for a short-term endeavor. Stick with the customers who appreciate you for who you are!
2. Treat your customers right! Did you know it costs six times as much to gain a new customer than it does to keep an existing one? Furthermore, if a customer is treated well, they will, on average, tell one person. Conversely, if they are unhappy, they will tell nine. And, once they are unhappy, it takes 12 positive interactions to make up for just one negative one. The bottom line – Treat Your Customers Right!
3. Ask them how they feel. It is a startling statistic…the average business never hears from 96 percent of unhappy customers. In fact, for every complaint received, the average organization has 26 customers with problems, six of which are serious problems. If you want to know how they feel…you have to ask!
4. Do what you say you’re going to do – Follow-Up! It’s a crime if you don’t follow-up. A sad fact, but quite often, organizations miss out on important business because they simply don’t do what they said they were going to do. Eighty percent of most lead-generating marketing efforts at trade shows are wasted, because sales people simply ignore them. These are customers just waiting for your products or services. Do yourself a favor and follow-up!
5. Give your employees the tools to treat customers right. Support your “front line” employees who deal with customers every day. Make their jobs easier. If they have what they need, they will be happier and it will translate to the customer. Make sure all employees are trained in proper customer service techniques, and take time to recognize staff that goes above and beyond for the customer. Additionally, take a stand and implement a no-tolerance policy for bad customer service. If you begin to stress the importance of increasing the quality of your customer relations and back it up with actions, the message will be received. You might consider sending a “mystery shopper” to your organization to test the receptionist, customer service and the experience of doing business with your organization.