Keeping Customers Can Take a Lot of Work.

By Bredin, Alice
Publication: Los Angeles Business Journal
Date: Monday, March 13 2000

When my husband started his business, he worked with a home-based Web designer to build an Internet site. After a lot of pain and suffering on my husband's part, the site was up and running, and he had resolved never to work with the developer again.

The designer lacked attention to detail, showed resentment

when asked to make changes and demanded to be paid the day his invoice was received.

After this bad experience, my husband found another home-based Web designer to help him with a site update. This developer met all deadlines, produced clean work and provided great ideas about changes to the site.

The biggest difference between these two Web professionals is their understanding of how to keep a customer. The first designer's actions showed that he was more concerned about his needs than those of his clients. The second made it clear that client satisfaction was his No. 1 priority.

The best thing you can do to ensure your customers keep returning is to communicate that they are your priority. Subtle differences in tone, actions and deliverables can send this message. Here are some customer management practices I have gleaned from our best vendors.

* Solicit feedback. The best way to find out if your customers plan to continue working with you is to ask them. Work project evaluations into your business processes. Ask clients about things that went well, things that could have been improved and the final product's quality. Schedule these evaluations after major milestones, as well as at the end of a project.

* Offer guarantees. Your willingness to stand behind your work will say a lot to customers about its quality and your professionalism. Clients who know there is a path for recourse if something should go wrong will feel more comfortable assigning business to you.

* Keep clients at the front of your mind. When you come across something that might be of interest to a client, drop him or her a note. The item might be an article, a new business tool or a technology advancement.

* Get personal. Equally important to maintaining professionalism is developing relationships with customers. This does not mean spending free time with them on the weekends. Instead, learn about their interests and establish a rapport.

* Say thank you. Reward good customers with special discounts or incentives. For instance, if a client consistently orders 16 cases of your product each month, throw in a free case of a new product as a thank you. The customer will feel appreciated and may even order the new product in the future.

Susan Says -- Secrets of Small Business Success