Running a business is challenging enough, and the last thing you want is for your customers to suffer from a poor experience with your company. Dissatisfied customers can turn away other customers, exponentially affecting your business. However, even if their experience with your product or service isn’t perfect, customers are loyal to and appreciate a company that works hard to address their needs and concerns. This is why customer service practices are as essential to the success of your business as the product itself. Here are four ways to help you raise your customer retention and loyalty.
Offer Live Customer Support
Customers who purchase products or services through your company’s website will appreciate having access to live customer support instead of having to correspond through emails. You can hire a team of agents who will be ready to answer customer questions and field any complaints without delays. You can do this either in-house or hire out to a customer service agency that will have designated agents answer customer service calls for you. There are also many software programs that allow website visitors to open chat boxes with customer service agents. Without immediate assistance available to them, customers have a tendency to become frustrated or move on to a different product. If you want to keep both current and potential customers, make sure that your customer service solutions are immediate and easily available.
Take Customer Feedback Seriously
Whether your customers give you feedback online, on the phone or in person, it’s important to take everyone’s opinions seriously. Not listening to your customers will leave them feeling dissatisfied and more inclined to take their business elsewhere. Not only that, but if multiple customers are having the same problem with your product or service, then that suggests a flaw that needs to be addressed. This will keep your customers happy and show that you are dedicated to quality in your company’s work. It’s a good idea for you or staff members to check online periodically for reviews posted on customer review websites to gauge how people feel about your brand.
Establish a Customer Loyalty Program
You can show your appreciation for customers who do business with you regularly by allowing them to enroll in a loyalty program that offers rewards. Some businesses only offer discounts and other perks to new customers and sometimes leave their loyal patrons out of the mix. This can garner resentment from more regular customers and make them feel unappreciated. There are customer loyalty program companies that can help you set up a reward program for your regular customers. The rewards that are offered with these programs can be claimed after cumulating a specific number of points or spending a certain dollar amount. You can also offer seasonal promotions and discounts that are available to old and new customers alike, serving as a sort of gift to those who have contributed to the success of your company.
Have an Active Social Media Presence
It’s difficult to keep your business relevant without an active social media presence. In addition to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other major sites, it’s important that you have an active and up to date company website. Social media sites provide valuable exposure to potential customers while also showing your current customers that you are active in engaging with the public. Your website should serve as the base of operations for all information regarding your company, and your social media posts broadcasts what is displayed there. Make sure that all of your promotions, discounts, sales, and big events are highlighted in your social media, and your customers will never have to run through coupon sites and code-finding engines to get the best prices on your product. These sites will also provide valuable feedback from customers and a platform where you can publicly and professionally address their concerns.
Your customer base is the lifeline for your business, so it’s important that they have a good experience with your company. Customers appreciate companies that are attentive to their needs and who listen to what they say, show appreciation for their patronage, and have information easily accessible. By covering all the bases, retaining loyal customers will be easy and intuitive.
