Warning signs that your customer headed out the door
It is not likely that you will receive any notification before a customer decides to terminate your relationship - they will simply stop coming back.
Learn to recognise some of the warning signs early and you may save you and your colleagues the headache of losing a customer.
Often communication will start to slow down. Use CRM's to track communication with customers so you can be immediately aware of a lull or break in correspondence. Reactivate the relationship by sending a personal email, make a phone call, or stopping by in person.
You may notice that your discussions are focusing more on your prices than anything else, signifying your customer is feeling restless. Offer a discount or a special offer to reassure them that you are reflective of their needs.
Customers may begin to display a lack of trust, and begin questioning the quality of your product of service. In this case, specifics are your saviour. Gain as much information as you can into what specifically is causing their dissatisfaction. Devise a strategy to tackle the issues and present this solution to the customer.
Customers may start to become more unreachable - the excuse of ''too busy'' will become commonplace. Get face-to-face with your customer. You may be able to salvage the relationship if you go the extra mile.
Late payments may signify a customer is dissatisfied. Make the call and find out if cash flow is an issue and offer payment plans and other options that may alleviate this problem.
"The best warning sign is to receive regular, in-depth customer feedback." This insight will give you the upper hand in tackling issues and will result in steadfast client retention. Even the most simple and seemingly insignificant annoyances may send your client over the edge.
Devise a checklist: do you and your colleagues arrive on time for meetings? How often are phone calls ringing through to voicemail? What is the average time it takes for a customer to receive a call-back? How often are you in touch with your customers?
Continue to ask the right questions and take pre-emptive steps to avoid losing customers over time.
Learn to recognise some of the warning signs early and you may save you and your colleagues the headache of losing a customer.
Often communication will start to slow down. Use CRM's to track communication with customers so you can be immediately aware of a lull or break in correspondence. Reactivate the relationship by sending a personal email, make a phone call, or stopping by in person.
You may notice that your discussions are focusing more on your prices than anything else, signifying your customer is feeling restless. Offer a discount or a special offer to reassure them that you are reflective of their needs.
Customers may begin to display a lack of trust, and begin questioning the quality of your product of service. In this case, specifics are your saviour. Gain as much information as you can into what specifically is causing their dissatisfaction. Devise a strategy to tackle the issues and present this solution to the customer.
Customers may start to become more unreachable - the excuse of ''too busy'' will become commonplace. Get face-to-face with your customer. You may be able to salvage the relationship if you go the extra mile.
Late payments may signify a customer is dissatisfied. Make the call and find out if cash flow is an issue and offer payment plans and other options that may alleviate this problem.
"The best warning sign is to receive regular, in-depth customer feedback." This insight will give you the upper hand in tackling issues and will result in steadfast client retention. Even the most simple and seemingly insignificant annoyances may send your client over the edge.
Devise a checklist: do you and your colleagues arrive on time for meetings? How often are phone calls ringing through to voicemail? What is the average time it takes for a customer to receive a call-back? How often are you in touch with your customers?
Continue to ask the right questions and take pre-emptive steps to avoid losing customers over time.