What's next?
You have given your Guest/Client a great first impression, gained their trust, and let them know they are always right, what’s next? Retaining that Guest/Client! Sounds simple but it’s far more complex. It has been said that the hardest thing to do in business, and the most costly, is retaining your client base.
In any economy, never mind a recession, Guest/Client retention is a difficult thing to master. First you must identify your Guests/Clients “touch points”. Touch points are any point of contact between you, the business owner, and your Guest/Client.[1] Identifying touch points will enable your company to consider the many different ways in which you interact with Guests/Clients, and how to ensure that what you are doing on a daily basis is giving your Guest/Client a euphoric experience every time they deal with your company.
Second, decide on new guidelines for your company based on the results from identifying your Guest/Clients touch points. This is when you need to step into your Guest/Clients shoes. Consider: Will your new strategy make them want to buy more from your company? Will they feel like your company really cared about them as a Guest/Client?
Some examples of new guidelines include:
- Providing stellar customer service;
- Make your website a Guest friendly self serving branch of your business;
- Create an e-newsletter to keep in touch with your clients;
- Pick up the phone- not the easiest but very effective. Sit back and think of how many times you called a company and got an answering machine or an automated phone system. Retaining clients requires a personal touch, not a machine.
The third and final step is to execute your plan. Remember, Guests/Client retention should be your #1 priority during any economy!
Editors Note: This feature is the final in a four-part series. Next Month will start a new series entitled “Social Media – How to Profit from Something Free”[1]http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-touchpoint.html