Are you listening? How are you branding your business with your customers. It’s an interesting view point of why your customers may not be returning to you.
* 60% of new customers do not come back after the first visit. Why? Poor Engagement
* 80% of those customers will return if listened to, offered quality service and incentives.
You must have good engagement with your customers and continue to give them a reason to come back and visit your business.
Tyler Kilpatrick from Independent Cutco Cutlery Rep says:
Listen to them. Most people don’t know how to listen to others. Just try to have a political discussion with someone. I guarantee you that your opinions aren’t all that different, but because we have lost the ability to listen we end up fighting.
A customer wants to be heard and understood. They wouldn’t be in your store if they weren’t looking for something, so before you talk, let them talk and listen.
Then respect them. Respect what’s best for them. If you try to shove something on them they don’t want they will go away. More importantly, if you succeed in duping them into something they don’t want or need, they will soon realize they wasted their money with you and they will NEVER come back because they know you don’t have their best interest in mind.
Their best interest is your best interest, because regardless the size of the sale, if they get what they want/need, then they will be back for more and they will tell their friends.
So what’s more important? The immediate sale or every future sale after that based upon your reputation and customer service?
Recently I asked my girlfriend to stop by my mechanic and pick up a part. She said, “Do you know the part number? I may be able to find it for you cheaper.”
My response: Don’t bother, because when I buy from my mechanic he gives me the advice I need to do it myself right, torque specs, helpful info, experience, literally anything I need. And they only buy quality parts, I trust that the part they hand me will last as long as I expect it to.
For me that service and quality is worth the $10-20 I will save anywhere else. Everything I can’t do, I give my business to them after 3 years of service I trust them to do what’s best for me.
My mechanic has earned a life long customer because they’re good, they listen, they respect me, and they put up with my questions and BS. I have driven 45 minutes past other mechanics to get to them because I’ve been screwed by others.
Spend the extra 5 minutes with your customers and Follow up.
Most importantly be selfless, not selfish. People appreciate it more than you know.
