Avoid These Mistakes When Building Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is one of the most valuable assets a business can have. For service-related fields, it’s even more important. Word-of-mouth recommendations drive service industries, so loyal customers means more customers. Although it may seem simple to create loyalty, there is more to it than simply providing good service, and many businesses make mistakes that can actually impede rather than enhance loyalty. Leverage your business management software to help your efforts at building loyalty, and steer clear of these common mistakes.

Mistake: You’re not taking advantage of your knowledge.

When a customer comes to you for service, in almost every instance, you will know more about the service that they need than they do. Customers become loyal customers when you use that knowledge to personalize their experiences—and most importantly, save them time or money. Consider a customer who is purchasing a new water heater, and you know that the brand or size they are purchasing costs more than they really need to spend. By recommending to the customer that he or she reconsider the purchase, you not only demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to specifically understand his or her home and needs, but also that his or her satisfaction is more important than your bottom line.

Mistake: You have a one-size-fits-all loyalty program.

Loyalty programs are so common now that customers aren’t impressed by simple buy-this, get-that programs. Although your customers may appreciate the ability to save a little money after a certain number of purchases, don’t expect that kind of program to increase loyalty on its own. Instead, have multiple programs that reach your customers on a more personal level. The different programs should both reward different kinds of purchases and offer rewards that are relevant to the way your customers do business with you. Remember that all of your loyalty programs need to be periodically updated as well.

Mistake: You’re not keeping track of customer data.

Customer data is everything when it comes to building loyalty. The information that you gather about customers lets you know why and how they use your business, how often, and what other services you have that may be relevant to them. It also shows you exactly who your market is. If you’re not keeping track of customer data, you really don’t know if your customers are loyal or not.

The customer interface of the business management software you use also plays a role in loyalty. With our software, you can give your customers all of the tools they need to do business with you conveniently and efficiently. Explore our software for yourself by visiting our website. You can also keep up with our business tips and news on our blog.