5 WAYS TO LOSE GOOD CUSTOMERS

“The purpose of a business is to create a customer.”

- Peter Drucker

 
While this statement is true, it also serves to underscore the reality that one of the on-going purposes of a business is to keep a customer. No business owner would argue this point, but creating and maintaining quality customer relationships is often one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today.

Come Back Again

One of the many dangers to businesses is the tendency to become accustomed to having customers, to slip into a default mode of compliancy, assume that your customers are happy, that they will keep coming back, and they will tell others about you.  The problem here is that customers are people, and people thrive on relationships. And if we are not careful our customer relationships can become superficial and meaningless and they will find a new relationship.

No one wants to feel that they are being taken for granted and customers are no different. Customers are people and people must be related to, not processed. Simply “going through the motions” for your customers with the mindless expectation that they will always be there is a sure path to lose customers. An increasing factor in customer fickleness is the sheer volume of choices that are available in the marketplace. In many ways the business owner is not simply working to gain a customer’s business, but is actually engaged in a contest to win the hearts and trust of the customer.

5 Ways to Drive Business Away

There are certain clichés in business that are dubious in their truth, such as “the customer is always right.” But one that is undoubtedly true is that it is cheaper to keep an old customer than to find a new one. With this in mind let’s look at some of the most common mistakes businesses make in this arena:

1-    Ignore Your Customers. This cardinal sin can be achieved in person, on the phone, and over the Internet. Many retail companies adopt a “10 Foot Rule” that requires customers to be acknowledged if the employee is within ten feet of them. Greeters at the door are not only good for Wal-Mart, and acknowledging customers by answering phones quickly and with a smile is just good business.

2-    Make it Difficult to do Business With You. Customers should not have to work at giving you their money. And they should not have a fight on their hands if they need to return your product or are unhappy with your service. If you make it hard on your customers, your competitors are always willing to go the extra mile for them.

3-    Display a Lack of Integrity. Whether this is your staff making excuses for poor service or products, or engaging in sales or marketing practices that could be deceptive, being a trusted and reliable business is essential. No one likes being dealt with in a way that is less than honest.

4-    Become Dull and Predictable. This does not mean sacrificing reliability and standards of quality and excellence.  Your customers expect innovation. Customers are stirred by positive surprises, just because your business may be old and dated does not mean it has to look and act like that.

5-    Don’t Listen to Your Customers. We live in an age where product and company reviews (positive and negative) posted on the Internet have a very long shelf life. Therefore, it is critical for you to hear what your customers are saying and respond appropriately. This can also mean reviewing blogs, doing market research and talking to your customers.

Our clients regularly met with their entire staff to discuss customer questions, tips and best practices, and to elicit ideas for innovations and improvements to the services and products. The synergy of bringing together the “frontline” employees with the management team with a focus on their customers works to create an atmosphere and company culture that is customer-centric and service oriented.

What a Customer Wants

While the customer may not always be right, there is one cliché that cannot be discounted or ignored: The customer rules. And this means that the needs, wants and desires of your customers must come first in developing the processes and procedures of your Client Fulfillment Experience.

For some businesses this means making regular and on-going efforts to “listen” to their customers: What do they like about your business? What do they like about your products? What do they like about your service? What is that they do not like?

Communication is vital and this implies intentionality and strategy on the part of the business owner. For others it will mean taking pains to create a customer-centric business model: one that takes into account the importance of the customer and recognizes that the product or the brand is not the focus.

Today’s business world is continually introducing technology and forums that allow you to not only engage your customers and prospects, but to keep your finger on the “pulse” of your customer base. Start today and continually win the hearts and loyalty of your customers.