Tag: customer retention

customer churn1

How to Fix Customer Churn

Posted on by Joan Nowak

Even if you do everything right, some level of customer churn is going to happen. Customers may move away or outgrow the need for your product or service. But if you dig deeper, you will find that most customer churn is controllable. You and your team have the ability to retain valued customers.

Why Customers Churn or Leave

When businesses lose valued customers, they often assume it is related to price or competition. But too often, that’s the go-to reason to justify the loss – covering up the real issues.

Related:  Pricing: 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid to Build Profit

  • Outdated products or services. Customer needs change. So should your products or services. Do yours need a facelift?
  • Lack of engagement or perceived indifference. Most businesses invest a lot of resources on new customers. What are you doing to make valued customers feel important? Make sure they know you care.  
  • Poor customer service or quality. It’s all about your customers’ expectations. They deal with a lot of companies and industries, not just yours. What should your customer experience look like? Does your team have the tools and know-how to deliver it consistently?
  • Attracting the wrong customers. It is not easy to turn away customers. But too many one-and-done sales or dissatisfied clients do not help your business. You want people who value, want and need what you offer. People whose problems you can solve – and are happy to pay for it. Is your marketing and sales attracting the right customers?
  • Over promise and under deliver. If customers expect the Taj Mahal and get a hut, they feel cheated. When it comes to quality, service, performance, lead time, results or other benefits — be honest.

How to Retain Valued Customers

Get Your House in Order. If customer service or quality levels are broke, work to fix them. It’s the number one way to reduce customer churn and retain customers. If you fail to deliver what you promise, customers won’t stick around and will share their bad experiences with others. Identify what you want the ‘buying experience’ to look like and have procedures and tools in place to help your people deliver it consistently. 

Related: 13 Ways to Make Your Service Business a Profit Sensation

Talk to Customers. Customer needs change over time. So, take the time to ask them for feedback on what they need and how well you are meeting their needs and expectations. It’s also a great way to uncover new product or service opportunities.

Reward Retention. If retention is really a priority in your business, demonstrate this to your team. Set goals for improvement areas and reward the team when they are accomplished. This approach works for any improvement you wish to make. It becomes a focus for your team. And with focus comes improvement.

Choose People Wisely. When you hire employees or select subcontractors to interact with your customers, make sure they value customers and possess the skills to deliver to your standards. Are they empathetic and trustworthy? Can they communicate well and listen? Each customer contact with you, your team or other partners is an opportunity to build your reputation or destroy it. Make the selection of people a priority.

Say Thank You. Sounds obvious but consider this. When was the last time you received a personal thank-you note from a company you do business with? This simple strategy can really make an impact and says a lot about your company and the value you place on customers.

Stay Connected. Social media can certainly keep your name in front of customers, but nothing beats a personal approach. Whether you do it by phone, mail or email, make sure your customers know you are thinking of them. Too often, we only connect when we’re trying to sell something. A simple thank you, a request for feedback, or a holiday greeting card can all do the trick. If you want to add a special offer, just for them, even better! While the frequency may vary based on your business or industry, quarterly contacts should be your minimum goal!

Make Customers Feel Important. Your current customers need to feel more appreciated than non-customers or prospects. While new customers are important to growth, make sure current customers get some VIP treatment. Programs, offers or specials that are exclusively available to them work well – so build some into your marketing efforts.

Make Service Everyone’s Job. Does everyone in your company understand the value of customers and are they ready to help them regardless of whose job it really is? Train your team on customer service and give them the tools and ability to take care of your customers. From the receptionist to the technician or delivery driver, your team will make an impression. The kind they make is up to you!

Ready to Put Your Business on the Path to Success?

Would another set of eyes, ongoing support and accountability from an expert help you take your business to a new level of success? Then let’s explore the possibilities with a complimentary consultation. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call me at (856) 533-2344 or drop me an email Joan@HybridBizAdvisors.com

LI customer investments

Customer Investments – How To Do It Right

Posted on by Joan Nowak

Make Your Customer Investments Pay Off

Your customers are your source of revenue, so it makes sense to invest money into them. But before you put a plan in place to attract, convert and retain customers, here are a few things you should consider to make your customer investments payoff.

#1 – Look Beyond Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is certainly an indicator of customer repurchase intentions. Improvements can reduce churn and create new business through referrals. So, it makes sense that businesses invest in this area. But even satisfied customers are not created equal as it relates to profitability. Understand why customers are satisfied. Some factors that impact both satisfaction and profitability include brands, products/services, buying experience, differentiation – and of course, price.

Satisfaction and profitability are not mutually exclusive. If a customer is only satisfied when you give them special deals, do you want them? What about those who pay full price but demand so much that they offset the revenue they provide? Some customers simply can’t be profitably satisfied. So why make the investment in them? Invest resources in your profitable customers.

#2 – Focus on the Lifetime Value of the Customer

How much you invest to acquire a new customer or retain them will vary. But you need to think beyond the most recent or first transaction. Consider instead what you expect to earn from customers on an ongoing basis.

This long-term view considers what products or services they buy, how often and for how long. Seek to understand your customers’ value. When you do, you can look for ways to improve it and decide how much you will spend to acquire and retain customers.

Related:  What Are Your Customers Worth

#3 – Budget and Plan for Retention Too

Marketing costs are typically focused on new business generation efforts. While important, a portion of your marketing budget should be allocated toward nurturing and retaining customers. When you consider lifetime value, it’s a good decision. Bonus: It’s a lot cheaper to retain a customer than to acquire a new one!

Imagine if you took 10% of your marketing budget and used it for engagement and retention? Depending on your industry, these areas come to mind: service, support, and account management. But extra touches and thoughtful gestures are equally important.

How are you going to keep your customers engaged? This is where the plan comes in.  Create a variety of retention strategies or tactics to implement throughout the year.  How often you do it will likely depend on your industry and clients. Get creative. Stand out. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking….

  • Pick up the phone and check in with a customer. Lunch, golf or coffee optional.
  • Create a blog to educate and empower customers.
  • Remember special occasions with birthday or holiday cards. It’s the thought that counts.
  • Turn fast service into quality and complete service. Customers will view you as courteous and helpful.
  • Email special offers just for customers. It’s not special if everyone gets it!
  • Surprise them! Little, kind gestures make an impact. A client left a Hershey kiss with their invoice. Low cost, but memorable.
  • Send postcards for reminders. With so much emphasis on email and text, snail mail gets noticed.
  • Say thank you with a personal, handwritten note.
  • Build a social community online. Choose the platform that is best for your business and customers.
  • Use white papers and eBook guides to demonstrate expertise. Be a resource for your customers.

Remember, nothing happens until you take action. So, decide what you will do and how often you will do it. Then, schedule it so it gets done!

#4 – Track Retention Rate Over Time

What we measure we can celebrate or improve! Do you want to know if your customer investments are paying off? Your customer retention rate, over time, will tell you that.

You can calculate the retention rate for any period you choose: weekly, monthly, quarterly or something else that is relevant to you.  Pay attention to the trends over time! To calculate, you need to know the following:

Retention Rate Formula: ((CE-CN)/CS)) X 100

  • CS – number of customers at the start of period
  • CN – number of new customers during the period
  • CE – number of customers at the end of period

Let’s do the math with a simple example. 

You started the first quarter (January 1) with 200 customers [CS]

You ended the first quarter (March 31) with 250 customers [CE]

During the first quarter (Jan 1 – Mar 31) you acquired 65 new customers [CN]

Let’s plug them into the formula: ((CE-CN)/CS)) X 100

250 – 65 = 185;    185/200 = .925;    .925 x 100 = 92.5

Your retention rate for the period is 92.5%

#5 – Monitor Satisfaction

If you spend money to acquire and keep customers, it makes sense to get feedback and monitor customer satisfaction. Surveys allow you to do this. When done right, they help you quantify the quality in your business – and support your investments.

When done by phone, they allow you to stay in contact with customers, identify and fix mistakes, identify possible problems (before they become major issues) and request testimonials, reviews, and referrals. Remember to apply item #1 above when you consider changes or improvements in your business – rely on feedback from ideal, profitable customers!

Related:  5 Reasons Why Surveys Should Be on Your To-Do List.

Customer acquisition and retention are important for any business. Planning how you will do both will save you time and money. Incorporating the five items above will help you make better decisions.

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