Most thriving businesses are businesses that possess a healthy customer base. If your business must be better, then your customer base must be healthy. There is an intrinsic relationship between how you treat your customers and the future of your business.
There are distinct opinions to the most crucial factor in a business. However, maintaining a good customer base has risen to be the leading factor for every business. You might have the capital to run a business, but if you do not understand the concept of a customer relationship, there is no future.
Let me share some nuggets from Elon Musk; he revealed that as a teenager, he learned that, knowing the right questions to ask is a difficult thing for most people. Applicably, you must understand that asking the right questions from your customers will improve your business.
Elon Musk is the richest man today because; he learned to ask questions and apply the answers to his businesses. Your customers should be your friends. Ask them questions about your business and the best medium of delivering your services. Your customer satisfaction should be a major factor in determining your business model.
Have you ever been to a stadium with no spectators?
It is the same experience for businesses that do not maintain a good customer base. They indirectly lose their purpose. A Forbes statistical analysis has proven that about 73% of organizations that focus on customer satisfaction usually earn more profits than their competitors.
No one is really interested in your business; everyone is interested in your product.”
So what does it mean to retain a healthy customer base?
Retaining a healthy customer base means to win people over to your business, make them love what you do, and be willing to return for your services. It is true that everyone only wants to buy and not be sold, but you must learn to win people.
The best way to win people is to care!
I was at the mall last week and experienced what it means to sell a person with no stress. The attendant did not do a great job other than speaking to my emotions and caring for my well-being. That was all she needed to make me buy what I did not even know I needed. The kind of sales you desire is in empathy and care for customers and not their money.
When last did you visit the place you were disrespected and not treated well?
No one returns to a business that does not value customer relationships. or businesses that do not consider customers in their decisions. The aim should be to make every customer come back; when you achieve this, you get ahead of your competitor.
The future of your business is in your customer base. There should be a commitment to the maintenance and sustenance of your customers. The following are tips to maintaining your customer base:
Empathy:
The first step to maintaining a good customer base is to be empathetic. As a business owner, you must understand how to identify your customer feeling, thoughts, and emotions. Never be judgmental towards anyone, but be patient to understand people as this will help you know how to treat them better.
Contributions:
Be convenient with accepting your customer opinion about your business. It is advisable to run a poll on their satisfaction based on your goods and services. It will help you understand how to treat customers and their expectations from your business. You do not know better than the people in need of your services.
Interest:
Every single person you love today has developed an interest in you. Similarly, your business will thrive on your customers, show them that you care. Ask questions about what they do, be friendly when they come around, and always express their value.
Appreciation:
Always remember you are not the only one selling your products. Develop the habit of sincerely appreciating your customers immediately you close sales. Do not commonize your customer presence and inform them that you did not take it for granted. If you do not thank your customer for coming today, do not expect them to come tomorrow.
Satisfaction:
The essence of your delivery and sales should be to deliver the best! If your customer is not satisfied, they will not come tomorrow. One of the tricks you can use is to under-promise and over-deliver. Let your customer feel they have come to the best place with the best value in the world.
Maintaining a healthy customer base is like protecting your house. If you misplace a key, you become vulnerable to attacks. Similarly, when you lose customers, you lose the future. Your customers are assets, guard, value, respect, and love them; This is how to be better!