3 Signs You've Lost Your Customer And How To Get Them Back
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Monet Ravenell
3 Signs You've Lost Your Customer and How to Get Them Back Great customer service is the backbone of any long-term successful business. You work hard to keep your customers happy and they reward you in return with their repeat business. With that in mind, it can be really disheartening if they ever stop coming back. Was it something you said? What is them? You put years into growing a relationship and you end up getting dumped without so much as a goodbye. But don't worry, there are signs you can look out for to warn you of the dreaded breakup call. In this post we'll talk about what those signs are and what you can do to stop it from happening. 3 Signs You've Lost Your Customer Before we explore how to get your customers back, it's important to recognize when you've actually lost them. After all, how can you fix a problem you don't know exists? It's easy for retailers to let a loyal customer slip through the cracks when they bucket all of them into large groups. In order to successfully retain your customers, you'll need to be aware of individual actions that are telltale signs of impending doom. Here are three signs you might be saying goodbye to a loyal customer: Sign #1 Your Brand Promise Doesn't Deliver: Your brand promise communicates everything your customer's value most about your business. You might promise superior customer service. But if customers are complaining of lack thereof, you have gone against your brand promise. Do you promise the lowest rates against competitors, but then continue to raise prices? Is your product quality inconsistent? These are major red flags to consumers. They will feel as though you are not keeping your word, and take their business somewhere else. Sign #2 You Exhibit Poor Customer Service: Whenever your customer needs help, you're never around, or even worse, you blame the customer. Let's say one of your customers returns a faulty item. Instead of helping the customer, your employees decide to blame them for the faulty product and refuse to issue a refund, or fix the problem. It's unlikely that the customer will return. And there's an even greater possibility that they will tell everyone they know how unhappy they are with your service. Sign #3 They Tell You: When customers are unhappy, sometimes they will let you know. Although there are many who won't ever say a word, there are some who don't mind writing emails or posting on your social media about their dissatisfaction. This shouldn't be taken lightly. Sometimes customers will make you aware of a problem that you didn't even know existed. So don't ignore those complaints. And don't assume that because a customer has complained that you've lost them forever. How to Win Them Back According to Marketing Matrix, retailers have a 20-40% percent chance of winning back an old customer, compared to a 5-20% chance of converting a prospect. Long story short, there's major value in fostering a relationship that already exists. Not even the richest companies have the time and money to keep going after new customers. If you want to grow your business while keeping costs down, you'll need to be thoughtful about winning back those valuable shoppers. Tactic #1 Find Out Why They Left: Decide on a reasonable length of time to automatically follow up with a customer who hasn't made a recent purchase. Reach out to shoppers using their preferred method of communication and let them know you value their business. Don't be afraid to ask directly if there's something you can be doing better. This is an opportunity to uncover some of your business' weaknesses. Your product could be priced incorrectly, you may have made one too many late deliveries, or maybe your customer service representatives leave something to be desired. Their problems with your business may not necessarily be aligned with what you think the problem is. This question is also not just about gaining back their business but also about protecting your brand. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly. Tactic #2 Offer An Incentive: Let's face it, you may need to offer up more than just an apology. If you need to grab your customer's attention, consider making a tailor-made offer just for them. Use 1st party data to look up their past purchase behavior and offer them something you know they won't be able to resist. Personalize your message with their name and let them know you're thinking about them. The key is to make them feel like you're acknowledging them as an individual. It's much easier for customers to dismiss a faceless company than it is ignore a thoughtful personal connection. Tactic #3 Follow Up: Contact the customer a couple of days later to thank them personally for them making you aware of the issue. Let them know that you've addressed their concerns and offer an incentive. But don't stop there. Consider sending out two more follow ups, via email or phone. If sending by email, you might want to remind them about their incentive, if they haven't already redeemed the offer. A couple of weeks later, you can follow up with a phone call. Take this opportunity to find out if there's anything else the company can do to meet their expectations. You would be surprised how far personalization can get you. The important thing is to get back to the basics, making personalization a priority. Your customers need to feel valued, respected and understood. Go above and beyond by providing superior customer service, allow them to speak to an actual human being, and follow through on your promises. If you follow the above tips, you'll be well on your way to gaining back a loyal consumer.
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