The art of losing your customers
Oh my! I'm always surprised when I see unforgivable mistakes. Building a business takes a lot of effort, dedication, and years of time to build a solid reputation. You'll learn over the years that your customers, won one by one, are worth their weight in gold. So, I've made you a list of nonsense about the art of losing customers! Allow me a little humor through this, haha.
- Above all, don't trust people who have been in the position for years. They might save you from making a few blunders, but it would take away all the fun of discovery.
- Take your customers for granted. After all, they signed a contract! Or maybe you're the best, so don't worry.
- Your competitors! Phew!! You don't have any or they're fake, of course. Everyone knows you're the best, and your customers would never dream of shopping with you. No one comes close.
- Above all, change the rules of the game. Customers love that. And you could even lower your level of service. Once the contract is signed, the customer is acquired.
- What matters is your profit. Your customer's needs don't matter.
- And there's no need to check their satisfaction; they're sure to be happy with your services and decisions. Or, at worst, do it over the phone and monopolize the conversation. No need to listen to them. After all, you're the one calling!
- Your employees are paid, so there's no need to give them recognition or even show any interest in them. You might even consider taking away some benefits or not paying them all they're owed. How many people will complain?
- Forget advertising. Your customers will talk about you for you, and the phone will ring on its own. After all, a satisfied customer will tell five people about you. While an unsatisfied customer will tell at least ten people.
- A website, don't waste your money, it costs so much! It might give you credibility, but your customers and employees will talk about you and send you clients anyway. They owe you that. Social media? Nope!!!! No need, it's just for the very young!
- And finally, change your address, your phone number, cut costs as much as possible to pocket the maximum!
The art of keeping your customers
Okay, more seriously now, I fundamentally believe that every customer is truly worth gold. We must take care of them just like our own employees. They are far from being acquired for life. If you are unlucky enough to lose a customer, listen to them, ask them what displeased them, and try to learn from it. The same goes for your employees. A meeting with an employee who wants to leave is a source of information for you.
Yes, your profits are paramount. But there are ways to do this without compromising customer satisfaction. Study your costs and increase your sales. One way to do this is by visiting your customers. By listening to their needs, you'd be surprised to see that you could meet them by suggesting a service or product they aren't familiar with. But above all, listen to your customer and shut up! Try to meet their needs.
Never take your customer for granted
It seems essential to me to respect what you have agreed upon with your client. In the same vein, make sure you are your employees' first choice. Your employees are your advocates. Take an interest in them and their needs as employees. Recognize them, sincerely! Also, be competitive. Good leaders aren't a given either. Make sure they're happy. We're heading towards a labor shortage. So make sure you keep your good employees.
Go see what your competition is doing with the goal of learning what you could do better. Don't do this in an arrogant way, but truly in a learning spirit. Do a self-examination. What aspects of your business could you improve?
How to increase your sales
Are you put off by your website or social media? Why not take a CEGEP course to overcome your fears? CEGEPs offer excellent courses, subsidized by Emploi Québec, to help you develop your skills and improve your business. I myself benefited from them and am completely satisfied. It took me out of my comfort zone. But it also changed my outlook and reduced my anxiety!
In 2018, a website is like having your own store on the street. It inspires and gives you credibility. However, don't forget that you're not alone on the internet. So, stand out, be interesting. Make your audience want to read your story.
Know how to reinvent yourself and question how you attract customers. (The same principle applies to recruiting employees, by the way.)
So, on that note, I wish you excellent thinking!
