“Value-added products & services promote Customer retention, but value-unique nurtures Customer “advocacy” and the recommend to their network.”

Customers Topics: Meet Needs, Extras, Finish Early, Follow-up, Spoil Customers, Network + 6 more.

In business, we’re often considered the question: “How can I provide outstanding Value to my Customers and, thereby, ensure high levels of Retention & referrals?” Here’s our answer, in the form of “12 ways to deliver > Value”

1.Give your Customer’s Proposals (Quotes) based on their needs. Sounds simple, but most businesses try pushing their Product’s or Services’ features on Customer – instead of offering them the customized solutions they need.

2. Add in some “unexpected” Extras. One of my Clients gives each significant Customer a small Gift Certificate to a local Restaurant, with every sizeable Invoice; A very nice touch. Small gestures like this often have a huge impact. That means you’re leveraging your effectiveness.

3. Finish the Project early or Deliver early. Put a little extra time into your estimate (for if things go wrong) 10-15%. If things go well, you will have “Promised less & Delivered better”. You’ll have made a real good impression.

4. Under Sell & Over-Deliver. If you make a promise and fail to keep it, your customers will be very disappointed; perhaps even to the point where they will write a bad public review (ie, Yelp). Under-sell, and then you will give yourself room to easily impress Customers and even Wow !!! some Prospects.

5. Invoice Customers for less than estimated. No Charge on short bursts of work or reduce charge on work that is taking too long (ie, because of your Learning Curve )

6. Follow up beats Failing down. Shortly after you deliver, ask your Customers to “honestly” tell you if they like your product or service. Go into detail, if they like some aspects, but others are week. Bill Gates said: “We learn more from our failures, than our success”.

7. Long-Term Follow-up. To make yourself indispensable in the Customer’s mind – a while after a deal is done – contact the Customer at 1month, 3, 6, & 12 months, then 1 1/2 years. Your customers will probably be pleasantly surprised and, who knows, you may trigger them to even give more business for you that wasn’t expected.

8. Spoil your Customers, because they’re your Bread & Butter. It feels so good to be treated Royally. You may even consider having a “Customer of the Month” program and/or every month, do something extra-ordinarily special for one valued Customer.

9. Always “remember” Customers on important days.
Holidays are great, but anyone can do that. Go beyond. Remember Birthdays and Anniversaries, as well + special achievements of their kids or significant others. It will be appreciated.

10. Celebrate with your Customers. Send Flowers (to females) wine or champagne to either- when they win a big Contract or achieve any other significant accomplishment. Let them know you care about them and they will care more about doing business with you.

11. Join an Industry group (ie, Meetup). Have meetings where your routinely, ask them how they find Customers, provide better service, and be more useful to their Customers – who will almost always be delighted that you cared. More importantly, the group’s discussion should provide valuable information. Member may make requests – that will generally cost you little or nothing to deliver. Your efforts will pay off with new & old Customers .

12. Use your Network to help your Customers.
One of the most valuable “extras” you can give to a Customer, is to provide them with the name of a professional (ie, accountant, lawyer, marketer or designer) from your personal Network. As your Network of resources grows, use their combined talents & strengths to make appropriate referrals to put people in contact – to help each other. It’s a huge extra that costs you nothing and your Customer may reciprocate & refer you.

NOTE: Be careful to only refer your best resources. If someone you recommend “messes up,” people will remember who recommended them.

Customer Service Quotes

“Your company’s “goodwill” is the one and only asset that competition cannot under-sell or destroy.” 

“Get the confidence of your Customers and you will have no difficulty in getting their continued patronage.”

“Focus on the Customer and satisfy them, then you wont have to worry much about your competition.”

“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” — Jeff Bezos, Amazon

“Customers often know more about your products than you do. Use them as a source of feedback on how you’re doing and ideas for product improvement.”

Comments: Do you know any other ways to deliver Value to our Customers?

from an “Ideal Business” 2/18 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4.biz

For more Info, click on Customers, Customer.