Your existing clients are your most valuable ones. Business experts come up with all sorts of numbers that show how the company’s best and most stable clients present the most value to their operations, but a lot of business owners just know this intuitively. Either way, businesses work very hard to keep the customers they have. But how do you do this? How do you succeed in client retention?

Here are some key ideas to help companies to keep customers from jumping ship.

Show Me the Value

On some levels, the core ability of companies to keep clients involves the value that they offer. In most industries, companies are directly competing with others. They have to show that their customers are getting the best deal that they can. They have to help those customers understand why they are partnering with that particular business, and not a competitor. This kind of “show and tell” is extremely important and directs client retention to a great extent.

Constant Communications

Another key element of keeping customers is being in touch. You often hear people rave about great support from a vendor or supplier. What they mean is that they can get people on the phone, and they hear from the company on a consistent basis. Part of this is technical support and product support, but another part of it is just knowing the vendor or supplier company, and having an actual relationship with the people who work there. Customers want to feel like they are “actively served” – that the vendor wants their business enough to keep up communications with them.

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Deliver on Promises

Businesses also have to “be honest.” They have to do what they say they’re going to do. It’s extremely easy for customers to start to get upset and think about switching providers when a business fails to follow through on just one advertised promise. Whether it’s speedy service, quality products, excellent support, or any particular deadline for a delivery, the company has to make sure that those things happen as they were supposed to for good client retention.

Go Where the Market Is

Companies also have to chase existing markets. Another way to say this is they have to innovate according to the times. Companies that are selling landline equipment are now dinosaurs. Companies that are selling WiFi are in demand. People’s needs change from year to year, and industries sometimes change almost in the blink of an eye. This has to be a major element of client retention — moving products and services to where they can be the most valuable, or changing them into things that provide more value.

Listen to Feedback

Another great tool for client retention is a suggestion box. You don’t really know what your customers need unless you ask them. When you do, you get valuable business intelligence that helps you design your programs to keep clients. Elicit this information with surveys or other kinds of outreach — and then act on it in quick and meaningful ways.

About Full Steam Staffing

Full Steam Staffing is a full-service staffing agency focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are currently looking to hire and grow your workforce, contact our team of skilled recruiters today!