Business Customer Loyalty – How to Earn It
Business customer loyalty can give you an edge over your competitors. It comes in the form of repeat customers that can drive your sales up more than any type of advertising. As a matter of fact, many companies in the US have implemented their own loyalty programs just to ensure that customers will keep buying their products or services. A recent study shows that major industries in the country have shelled out over $1 billion just to put loyalty programs in place. The thing to remember, though, is that the loyalty of your customers to your product or service cannot be bought. Rather, this very important business factor must be earned. Here are the top tips that can help you boost customer loyalty for your business.
When you talk about business customer loyalty, it all begins in your own backyard. You see, your employees should be your first customers. That means everyone in your company must be loyal to your product or service. Other customers will not keep on patronizing what you have to offer if your employees themselves do not even want to use your product or service. Apart from this, you must also practice loyalty to your valued customers. Give your most loyal customers some discounts or other freebies that they definitely deserve for always choosing your company over the other players in the market.
Next, the fight for business customer loyalty is not decided upon in the boardroom. Rather, it is being fought in the trenches, specifically by your salesmen and women. Many businesses tend to provide bonuses to their employees who successfully make a sale. But if you really want to get the best out of your sales staff, and make them focus more on customer loyalty or retention, you should also offer perks for every repeat buyer that has been brought in by any member of your sales team. Your staff will be more creative in driving more repeat sales if you reward them for their efforts. Besides, you will also be able to keep track of your actual customer retention levels if your employees know that such information means higher earning opportunity for them.
And finally, business customer loyalty is about your customers, not you. So, make it a point to communicate or interact with them. Part of putting your customers on top of your priority list is talking to them in their own language. That means using terminologies that can deliver your message in the perspective of your customers. For instance, make it a point not to make your company as your sole subject in your marketing materials. A better idea would be talking about your customers, putting yourself in their shoes, and offering solution to their needs as related to your product or service.