Keep your Customers happy and they'll keep you in business!

For any business, it’s the ‘relationship’ part of Customer Relationship Management that really matters. The old adage “Keep your Customers happy and they’ll keep you in business” holds especially true in this ‘social-media-centric’ era today. Customers now are part of your community, they want instant answers to their problems and they drive your business!

So, what can you do to keep your customers happy? While it’s true that there’s never a “one size fits all” solution, it’s still possible to tell all your customers that you’re there for them and that you’re listening to them. Here are 5 ways…

1. Be aware of every nook and corner of your Product

Consider this situation:

Customer: We have a requirement for 250 users. We would like to know if your new integration can support us.

You: Ugghh.. ok.. wait.. Just hold on a moment, Let me just find out.

During this hold period, the customer must be thinking, ‘If the executive isn’t confident enough, how’s this company going to support me after the sale? Should I go to some other place, where they’re sure what they’ll be offering us?’

Being knowledgeable and confident about every aspect of your product always helps, because only then will you be able to pass on that conviction to the customer.

2. State the Facts

In other words, honesty is definitely the best policy. Playing around with your customers’ expectations just because you want to retain them, well, how terrible can that get? Ask the question: ‘How would you want to be treated had you been in your customer’s shoes?’

3. Be willing to Educate

Telling more is always good – not just about your product/service but about the industry, the latest trends or the value addition that you can bring in over your competitors. There’s no assurance that you’d make a sale, but you’re sure to earn a long term business contact!

4. Be in Touch

A call or an email once in a while, just to say “hello”, posting on a customer’s wall, telling them about the latest in your product/service or a even a tweet will do. Simple, yet effective. Reach out!

5. And finally, use your CRM system well

The power of your CRM system lies in how well you use it. Sticking to the basics will go a long way.

Let’s take a very common example of the Sales Team: You talk to a prospect, and there’s plenty that the prospect will have to say. A task as simple as adding notes to the Contact details can help you build a strong relationship. Your note can be like: ‘

Talked to Jonathan. Interested in buying the Enterprise version. Asked questions which include pricing, customization features, mobile edition and Security. Wants a demo on the 5th. Loves to talk about the market conditions. Interested in Politics. Big MJ fan and dwells on Pizzas!

‘

A few weeks later, when you have a call with Jonathan again, you can’t be better prepared for the call. The notes that you’d added will be your savior.

These are a few points but can be vital. Many of us – be it Sales, Marketing, Customer Support or Engineering – forget to empathize with customers while communicating with them. Amid the flurry of trying to get work done, we forget to realize that it’s people’s emotions that we are dealing with. In the end of it all, it’s those business relationships that count.

What are the other ways in which you keep your customers happy so that they keep you in business? Let us know your ideas too!
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