How to Make and Keep Loyal Customers...In Spite of Yourself

Customers quit buying for two BIG reasons. Either they don’t like your product…or they don’t like doing business with YOU…meaning the people they talk to at your business. It’s that simple.

Seriously, when someone at a business ticks you off, do you think, “I just can’t wait to go back?” Of course, NOT. And it’s no different for your customers when they aren’t treated right. So this is a problem you’ve got to handle…now.

When you…or your sales people…or your service reps…talk to a customer, what do you all focus on? Take this reality check:

Do you focus on the product or service you sell? Or on the customer?
Do you work with anybody who has money? Or the right people with money?
Do you try to sell to more and more people? Or learn how to get the customers you’ve got to buy more often?
Do you measure customer satisfaction? Or just sales growth?
Do you know what kind of customer experience you want them to have? Or do you just know that you want to have customers?

It’s no secret that people can tell the difference between someone who just wants to make a sale and someone who actually gives a hoot. And it’s no secret who they’d rather buy from.

If you want to have a line of customers out the door - It's called Customer Relationship Management (CRM):

Start with the customer. Think about what your customer wants most. What could you easily give them, at little or no cost, that would make them want to come back for more?
Work with the right customers. Business is sort of like dating. Every product or brand has a “type” of customer. Know your “type.” Then go after them and quit wasting time on all the others.
Reward your people for treating customers right. Set up a feedback system. Recognize the people that your customers take time to mention. Reward your people for being the reason customers choose you…instead of your competition.
Listen to your customers. Sometimes customers have really great ideas. Sometimes they whine and complain. But can you learn something from both? You betcha.
Deliver unexpected value. When you know your customers, you know what they want. Exceed their expectations and you’ll develop a loyal following. Loyalty is the life-blood of the cash cow.

Even if all you want in life is to be a gazillionaire, you’ve got to own up that you can’t get there without people. You need your customers. You need your employees. You especially need employees who keep customers feeling good every time they contact your company. Obviously, CRM Software was designed to help you do this, automatically.

When customers feel like they’re treated right…when they feel like they’re getting extra value…they’ll come back for more. And even if all you really do want is to make the sale, you can still make and keep loyal customers in spite of yourself.