Many small businesses forget that, after a sale, their customers want to know that the sale is not the end of the relationship.  Follow up and follow through will ensure that most a small business will retain customers and encourage ongoing purchasers.
I remember reading somewhere, that keeping an existing customer costs 7 times less than gaining a new customer. I’m not certain about the metric, but the principle is correct.
Follow up is more than just a promise on paper. If you sell a physical item that requires maintenance, your customers should have the confidence that your business will be there to provide it.
If your business provides direct, or personal, service – take the opportunities presented when providing that service to ensure the customer is happy and whether they have other needs your business can fulfill.
I strongly recommend that a business puts follow ups on a calendar with reminders. Prior to the date, send a postcard or greeting card reminding the customer about an upcoming maintenance service.
A phone call to a new or longterm customer could also go a long way to developing the relationship.
Personalized service is a huge point in customer loyalty and whilst there may be an extra outlay for the business, the returns are substantial.
Customer loyalty is a two way street – it’s not just about the customers loyalty to your business; it includes your businesses loyalty to your customers. The relationship between business and client must be symbiotic. If your business does not serve your cusotmers’ needs after the sale, they will not give you the most important things there are – a good reputation and word of mouth referrals.
After market service is built in to the price of many items, but even consumables such as office supplies are worthy of client followup. Ask the customer if they have any suggestions towards improvements – either in the product itself, or in the sales and service process. The simple fact that you ask for your customers feedback shows that you really do want their business.
Another really simple technique is to have your staff ask: “What else can we do for you?” of “How else may we help you?” when completing a transaction. Sometimes your customer will not require anything else, but at other times the question can elicit some great responses that you can use to convert to more business, improve an existing product or create a new product.
Follow up is more than just keeping in touch after the sale. It is also about keeping promises, even if it means a short term loss. Never promise what you cannot deliver – and if you say you can deliver on a product, do so or be honest with your customer and provide something in compensation. Honesty and loyalty breeds deep abiding trust.
There are many ways to follow up with a client – here are just a few suggestions:
1. On the completion of a job, send an email thanking the client for their business and ask them for their feedback. I’ve created a very simple feedback form in Google Docs and send the link to my customers. The survey is quite short so it doesn’t take long for the customer to complete it – but it gives me some good insight into their perceptions.
2. A phone call to finalise a project, thank the customer for their business and ask for their feedback.
3. Sending a post card or greeting card – I use Send Out Cards to do this, but you could design your own cards and order them from your local printer, Vista Print, Cafe Press or Zazzle.
4. Sending a thank you TWEET or perhaps a personal message through Facebook. This would be appropriate if the customer has used Twitter or Facebook with your previously.
5. If you use Skype to communicate with your customer, then a quick chat message to say thanks and request feedback is great way to start.
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