4 Ways to Guarantee your Customers Return – After the Service

You’re familiar with the chase of a new client: the initial request for a quote, the convincing sales pitch, the service.

It’s so familiar that it’s become a second nature. So natural that you’re actually not sure how it can be improved upon. But of course, that’s silly. Everything can be made better, or more efficient, from your job scheduling software, to the script you use when dealing with clients on the job site. For business growth and recurring revenue, one the key areas to focus on is the post-sale process.

Post-sale? Yep, that’s a thing. Service companies have traditionally focused on immediate needs: the lights are out, the hot water tank exploded, this couple needs to move yesterday. With such an intense schedule, service companies usually concentrate on fulfilling what needs to be done. But if you’re not following up with your clients once the issue is fixed, you’re leaving money on the table for a competitor to pick up once some other emergency arises. Below we’ve listed four ways to get your customers to return–after your service has already been completed.

Survey and Conquer

If you’re not getting feedback from your customers, you’re not doing a good enough job. Feedback is a great way to better understand what your clients need out of a service: even if you have never had a complaint in all your years of business, there’s always an opportunity to learn what your customers really, really want. Chances are good that very few service companies are asking what they could do better next time. If you can get even a slight edge over your competitor–be it a less-scruffy hairdo on your crew, a small home-repair kit, or a coffee for your customer upon arrival–that’s going to get you more jobs in the long run.

Trade Discounts for Info

Customer loyalty programs were built with the satisfaction of the buyer in mind. There’s no business if all the customers go elsewhere. Their real benefit however, is giving people a value-based reason to return to your company again and again. As great as your service is, people are incredibly price-motivated. If you can pair special pricing with your great service, and offer that combo to the people who have already had a good experience with you? That’s a recipe for customer retention. When you ask your clients fill out your survey, offer them a discount off their next service as a thank-you for their feedback. Not only will you get in-depth answers to your questions that will help you improve your business overall, you give that customer a cash-centric reason to call you the next time they need help. Money talks.

Use Email to Your Advantage

Junk mail sucks. So don’t send junk! Many companies are in the habit of over-emailing their customers with updates or company changes that customers just don’t care about. Email can be a force for good… as long as it’s used sparingly. When your business has an offer or purchase event that is truly unique and relevant to your customer base, send an email about it. A well placed “heads-up” is a great way to remind customers who have credit with you that they have a discounted service waiting. It’s also an unobtrusive way to stay top of mind for customers who might have been too busy to book a much-needed service. The golden rule for email? If you wouldn’t want to hear about it, don’t send it.

Set Yourself Apart

We’re not talking about your stellar service. That’s a given. We’re talking that little something extra that makes your service really stand out. It doesn’t have to be a coffee delivered to the client. Demolition Diva of New Orleans saw her business boom because of her trademark pink rigs and uniforms. Have you ever seen a CAT in hot pink? While this kind of gag doesn’t necessarily improve your customer’s experience of the work you are doing for them, it keeps you top of mind when they are picking up the phone to call for assistance. And if you pair this with the other tips we’ve suggested above? Your competitor is in for a thin year.

Doing the work to retain customer post-sale is just that: work. But it also demonstrates to your customer-base that you care about their business, and that you’re a business that wants to go beyond the easy dollar. So bulk up your planning abilities and buckle up: 2017 is about showing your customers that you care.