keep customer happy

How to Keep Your Customers Happy: The Secrets to Success

Ezra Cabrera | October 3, 2019

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    Did you know that 78% of customers bail on transactions due to poor customer experience? Furthermore, 68% switch brands because they aren’t satisfied with the treatment they receive. In a world where customer churn is rampant, one question remains: how can you keep your customers happy? Some say that applying for quick business loans to improve business is the answer, but it’s so much more than that.

    Keeping your customers happy is simple: fulfill your promise, solve their problems, keep on creating products and offering services they love, and more. In addition to those effective tips, there are simpler ways to keep your customers happy and loyal.

    1. Interacting with them on Social Media

    Thanks to social media, interactions between customers and businesses have evolved dramatically. However, if you only post ads and sales pitches, you can’t expect to cultivate a lasting relationship with your customers.

    It’s important to engage with your visitors by sharing valuable, informative, or entertaining content. To keep them interested, you can post or share pictures, videos,  polls, and more. People prefer to follow companies that have a personality and post from a human perspective rather than a purely business perspective.

    Some of the ways you can interact with your customers on social media include the following:

    • Promptly replying to all posts and comments – positive or negative – where your company was mentioned.
    • Sharing tags and pictures posted by your customers.
    • Liking posts that your company is tagged in.
    • Asking questions and feedback from your customers.
    • Post relevant company updates and current events.
    • Run contests, promos, and giveaways.
    • Share funny, entertaining, and informative content.

    2. Spend Time to Learn More about Your Customers

    What’s more important than acquiring a new client? Keeping them loyal. The key to keeping your clients loyal and satisfied is personalization. Make it a point to know more about your customers – their hobbies, birthdays, preferences, buying decisions, and more. Use this information to your advantage by personalizing your service. You can send them a card along with a discount coupon during their birthdays. When they walk into your store, strike a conversation, and ask them about their day or their weekend. Make them feel special because they are! By personalizing your service, you can keep your client-customer relationships stronger and your customers will appreciate and reward you for it.

    Related: 4 Tips on Attracting and Retaining Loyal Customers

    3. Deal with Customer Complaints ASAP

    According to Harvard Business Review, 48% of customers who had a bad experience with a company told 10 people or more. Negative word of mouth reviews can easily spread like wildfire. If you want to retain your current customers, you need to address negative reviews ASAP to protect your reputation.

    Don’t leave your customers hanging! Solve customer complaints effectively by personalizing your response. One of the standard tactics is to use your customer’s name during the conversation and telling them that you understand their concern. A more effective way of dealing with angry customers is to empathize with them. Your customers need to know you genuinely care about their problems and that you’re ready to provide them with a viable solution.

    4. Prioritize Customer Service on All Platforms

    According to the Aspect Consumer Experience Survey, 76% of consumers think that customer service is a reflection of how companies value their clients. Loyal customers are a product of outstanding customer service. Customers are sensitive to how your staff treats them, and if it’s less than stellar, they’re going to judge the service you provide.

    Your customers expect excellent service online or offline. Whether they’re waiting in line, calling to ask about a product, or inquiring through Facebook, it’s important to remain friendly, efficient, and helpful. Be sure your customer support team is equipped to solve issues in a timely and efficient manner.

    Related: 5 Tips on Providing an Outstanding Customer Service

    Furthermore, it’s also crucial to answer inquiries as quickly as possible, even on all your social media platforms. Studies show that your customers want excellent customer service on social media and most of them expect a swift reply. In fact, around 42% of consumers expect a response within an hour while 32% expect one within 30 minutes.

    Quick Business Loans for Your Immediate Working Capital Needs

    It’s simple. You need happy customers to keep your business going and ensure its success. Sure, you don’t necessarily need quick business loans to keep your customers happy. However, you need working capital to improve your business, and improving your business is a part of offering better customer service. So if you find yourself in a cash pinch, know that there are a lot of business loans available to help you with your business’ needs.

    About the Author

    Ezra Neiel Cabrera has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurial Marketing. Over the last 3 years, she has been writing business-centric articles to help small business owners grow and expand. Ezra mainly writes for SMB Compass, but you can find some of her work in All Business, Small Biz Daily, LaunchHouse, Marketing2Business, and Clutch, among others. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her in bed eating cookies and binge-watching Netflix.