5 Ways to Keep Customers Happy

At the end of the day, your business can only survive and profit if it has a well-oiled game plan in place.

With that being the case, keeping your customers happy is up at the top of the priority list, something one should never take for granted.

While there are myriad of ways to keep customers satisfied and interested in your brand, some stand out more than others.

The bottom line is that you must always put the customer first, especially given all the choices he or she has in today’s ultra-competitive business world.

If you fail to prioritize each and every customer when they walk through your door or go to order a product or service from you online, you run the risk of losing future sales.

So, are you doing all you can imaginable to keep your customers happy?

Going Out of Your Way for the Public

So that you are able to keep your customers happy, remember these five tips:

1. Convenience – First and foremost, do you make it easy for customers to do business with you? Keep in mind that customers typically have several choices in where to do business and with whom to do it with, so you have to stand out from the rest of the field. One convenience is allowing customers a variety of ways to pay for purchases (cash, credit or debit cards, checks, even billing them and letting them pay later etc.). When you give customers such options, they tend to want to come back and do business with you time and time again. To make sure you have reliable credit card processing means in place, be sure to work with a vendor that puts your interests first. That credit card processing need that you have will translate itself into unknown amounts of money as customers use plastic to make purchases. By making it as easy as possible for them to do this (including you using a credit card swipe option when selling your goods and services outside the office), you will be recognized as a company many enjoy doing business with;
2. Specials – Most customers jump for joy when they know they are getting a deal, so keep those deals coming. For example, a rewards program for the most dedicated of regular customers is certainly not a bad idea. You can and should also offer some specials to first-time customers. This can be a good enticement to get them back for a second time, a third time etc. As with any specials, be sure to account for them in your monthly budget;
3. Promotions – Marketing your business is another key piece of the puzzle, so make sure you are doing it correctly. Social media is a wonderful resource, one where you can for all but nothing (in terms of costs) spread your brand’s word. Connect with consumers on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and more. If consumers have a question or even an issue with your business, be sure to respond to them in a timely manner. Nothing looks worse when you get an important message on one of your social platforms than to outright ignore it;
4. Touch – Knowing just the right touch to use with customers can be a job in and of itself. Remember, all customers have their own personalities, so treating one just like all the rest simply doesn’t work. When you take a little extra time and effort to get to know your customers, they are more apt to respond in kind. Before you know it, you’ve established a relationship, one that will hopefully prosper for many years to come.
5. Follow-up – Just completing a sale with a customer is not oftentimes enough. Going that extra step and asking them if they were satisfied with their experience should be all but mandatory. The more feedback (as noted above with social media) that you can get from a customer, the better you can design your business to meet any and all needs. Use texts, phone calls, and emails, even regular mail surveys when needed to see that the customer had his or her expectations met.

As a business owner, how would you say you’re doing in meeting the above-mentioned customer expectations?