subject: Your Companies Best Hope Is Repeat Business [print this page] The most important part of any business, more important than the model, than the website are the customers. Let's face it, without customers you wouldn't have a business. The best customers to have are those that have already done business with you and received a very good experience. Whenever someone either visits your store, office or online shop or gives you their hard earned money, it is a perfect opportunity to generate repeat business. Convincing a customer to walk through your doors the first time is the hard part. Making them want to return, well that is what you are in business to do. But how do you go about creating repeat business? Luckily there are a few simple steps that you can do to keep the customers coming back time and time again and creating a well founded customer base.
Rule Number 1: Have the employee treat the customer like they are family. All to often customers are treated like numbers rather than valuable parts of a business. Treating the customer with decency and respect and letting them know they are the reason you are in business will take your business strides ahead of the competition. Also, providing your customers with the information they need to make an informed decision regarding the products and services you offer will also separate your business from the competition. If you arrive at a place where customers mention that your business knows how to treat people, you will have generated the best form of advertising.
How the staff treats a customer cannot be understated. A well trained staff can yield immense benefits, yet by the same token, a ill trained or ill equipped staff can lead to utter disaster with the customer.
Also, many businesses offer incentives or discounts to returning customers or to attract new customers. Today's business environment is the most competitive it has been in decades. You need something that will allow your firm to stand out. You can use some nice giveaway items to give to people when they visit your store. There are many nice logo products that will work great for this.
One way that you can try to get more repeat business is by offering coupons to returning customers. Now in order to do this you need to have some contact info for them. The best way to go about this is by collecting their e-mail addresses. You can send them regular reminders of special deals this way and it is very cost effective.
