How good is the relationship with your customers?
Obviously you must have some kind of relationship as they are your customers, but how good is the relationship really and could it be better?
Consider this, two restaurants right next door to each other both selling great food. The staff in one know you by name, they know what beer you like to drink and last time you ate there they gave you a free coffee. The other restaurant you have frequented just as often but they don’t even know your name, never mind your taste in beer! Which restaurant do you think you will end up going to more often?
Making these small gestures to make your customers feel ‘special’ doesn’t take much time or effort.
How well do you really know your customer?
Do you know their name, job, likes, dislikes, buying preferences, if they have children, even their political leaning? This information may be important because it is relevant to your business but it is just as equally important because it shows you are interested in them as people and not just as customers.
Treat your customer like a friend
Having a good relationship with your customer is just the same as creating and maintaining a friendship. Treat your customer like a friend – friends like to be checked in on, spent time with, asked how they are, taken care of, sent a birthday card and treated to a coffee or something nice now and then.
Similar to a friend, your customer likes to be heard, asked their opinion, and engaged in two-way conversation.
Avoid one-way dialogue
You know how negative it feels when people you know always talk about themselves and very rarely if ever ask about you? Avoid being the self-centred friend where you tell your customer everything you ‘think’ they want to know and don’t allow or encourage any information back. Two-way dialogue means they tell you information too – about themselves. You can find this information out in general conversation or more methodically in a feedback form. Social media presents every opportunity to listen to your customers and get to know them better.
Small businesses with fewer customers are in the lucky position of being able to really get to know their customers. Have a system of recording valuable information about your customers. There is plenty of software out there but what I recommend is that you start with a simple spreadsheet. One butcher I know writes customers names on the back of the door!
At the very least, learn your customers name and use it!
If you are lucky enough to have the customers name in front of you then use it! I personally prefer to be addressed by my first name but if they feel the need to be formal then Mrs Falkner is fine. If you are not sure then ask – this demonstrates you care enough to respect their preference. I was addressed as ‘’love’ by an on-line banking official just last week and although this is less common now it still happens and it is not acceptable! Don’t do it no matter how natural and caring you think it sounds!