When you are running your own business, you must consistently have a product that is good, a price that is very competitive, and the right customers to sell it to. Occasionally you might also need to deliver and service it. In order to accomplish these set steps, everyone has to know their job, perform it to certain standards that have been set by management, and all have the same goals. This can’t be done, unless they have all read the same set of standards, and know to follow a specific, consistent process, especially when they deal with customers.

So you’ve got the product, you’ve hired the people to sell it, and they have the knowledge to understand it and explain to prospective buyers. There is still a set process that must be followed to succeed in the sale and customer service that ensures a repeating customer.

A process was set in motion the moment you chose a product that you believed would sell to a specific group in the area of your store. Some set basis was used to determine prices, sales, how much to keep in stock, how to advertise, and what incentives to use.

Another set of processes is used to handle the accounting of your business. Bills have to be paid on time, invoices and bills of lading checked and paid, taxes, salaries, commissions…all accounts both payable and receivable. Can you imagine the chaos if you didn’t implement specific processes for all to follow?

All aspects of customer relations require processes that have been tried and worked, from generating leads to marketing, from estimating costs and giving quotes, to processing sales and handling inquiries.

Processes are required to be able to determine shipping dates, delivery dates, installations, service and repair.

You also need to know how to manage those processes. If they aren’t working well, they need to be altered and distributed to all employees so that a new method can be tried. It won’t succeed (or fail) conclusively unless all involved have followed the same process.

By having set processes to follow, your people will be able to quote realistically to customers, follow up on them, handle customer service face to face or on the phone, and deal calmly and intelligently with complaints.

Other benefits are that customers are more confident when they are treated consistently by all personnel, there are fewer delays, better all-around communication and understanding, and a happier, less stressed and more motivated staff.

So does your business have all the processes written down so that your employees can follow them accordingly?

Most managers talk about the importance of customer service, but far fewer are able to concisely describe what they mean. It can effortlessly become an empty cliché rather than a strategy for progression.

Yet customer service can be as significant for product businesses as it is for service organizations.

I recently read an interview of a group of business managers from the manufacturing industry who made the argument that customer service has been as important as pricing which helped them to retain customers through the recent economic downturn.

You are expected to turn your customer service proposition into a real competitive advantage when:

• You are focused on the few dimensions that your target customers really value.
• Your business has a service offering that is truly distinctive.
• You have the ability and promise to deliver your service consistently to the required standards.

Here are 9 scopes of exceptional customer service that every business should focus on to drive loyalty, profitability and bring progression in your business:

1. Every business needs to find a way to provide great convenience and accessibility for their customers. For instance, computer manufacturer Dell doesn’t sell through regular retail stores, but you can buy custom-made computers online or over the phone 24-hours a day, which are then delivered direct to your door.

2. Your business should provide sufficient self-help tools and support so that’s its easier for customer to make a decision or find answers to a problem. For instance, supermarkets provide shoppers with a range of trolleys and baskets so that its easier for customers to carry their items, and Nike has developed online support tools for runners to set themselves training goals and track times and distances.

3. Your business should provide a suitable environment that sets the mood for a customer. For instance, fragrance companies such as Clinique and Estee Lauder only supply retailers that deliver a high-quality retail environment to support their products.

4. Your business should always make the “key” products available. Product and service availability is essential in improving your net sales growth.

5. Your business can never win the price war, so your attitude and friendliness towards your customers is very important. A key aspect of Airasia’s success in Asia has been its ability to deliver a friendly service alongside its extremely low fares.

6. If you are in retail, your speed and responsiveness has to be exceptional. Tesco stole a march on competitors when it introduced its “one in front” policy, where it opens a new till when shoppers, queuing to pay, have more than one other shopper in front of them.

7. If you want your customer to value you then you need to give them more personalized attention. A popular US department store, Nordstrom places customer service as its #1 strategic objective. As part of this objective, the store provides all its sales people with access to a “Personal Book”, allowing them to record and refer to individual customer preferences through their till systems.

8. Your business needs to build a Community among your customers. Many businesses have started to appreciate social media tools like Facebook & Twitter more in 2009 as its helping businesses to join into the conversation that their customers are already a part of.

9. Your business should dominate the niche that it specializes in. Apple has created a whole new industry of apps providers for their iPhones. Apple hasn’t sought to provide the applications themselves, but, through its App Store has created the links for application developers and users to do business. When an app sells, it’s eventually good for apple as those apps will only run of Apple’s platform.

Want more strategies for your business? Contact one of our experts or drop us an email and we will get someone in touch with you.

Keeping customers satisfied is essential to building a successful, growing business. While many companies work hard to increase sales, they may overlook the little things that keep customers happy and buying more. It is easier to accelerate your business by cultivating the customers you already have rather than constantly working to attract new customers.

Customer satisfaction research is not an end unto itself. The purpose, of course, in measuring customer satisfaction is to see where a company stands in this regard in the eyes of its customers, thereby enabling service and product improvements which will lead to higher satisfaction levels. The research is just one component in the quest to improve customer satisfaction.  Improving customers’ satisfaction with your business translates directly to your bottom line. Still not sure you’re ready to invest in improving service?

Check out these amazing statistics:

• It costs between five and six times more to attract a new customer than to keep an existing customer.
• Companies can boost profits from 25 percent to 125 percent by retaining 5 percent more existing customers.
• Only one out of 25 dissatisfied customers will express dissatisfaction to you.
• Happy customers tell at least four others of a positive experience. Dissatisfied customers tell as many as 12 about a negative experience.
• Two-thirds of customers do not feel valued by those serving them.
• Acquiring new customers can cost five times more than satisfying and retaining current customers.
• A 2 percent increase in customer retention has the same effect on profits as cutting costs by 10 percent.
• The average company loses 10 percent of its customers each year.
• The customer profitability rate tends to increase over the life of a retained customer.

Sources: Extreme Management, Mark Stevens, 2001; Leading on the Edge of Chaos, Emmett C. Murphy and Mark A. Murphy, 2003

Last week, we walked over the idea of giving good customer service even during a bad economy as it makes good business sense. But as a business how do you actually achieve it? How do you give your customer a superior customer experience?

Here are eight simple tips that you can follow that are based on the best known principles:

1. Try to put yourself in your customer’s shoe.  Understand how your customers’ expectations are rising over time.  Accept the fact that, what was probably ‘good enough’ last year may not be any good now. Use  different form of customer surveys, interviews and focus groups to understand what your customers really want from you, what they value and what they believe they are getting (or not getting) from your business.

2. Always use your strengths to differentiate your business from your competition. Usually your quality of service is an area whether you can really strengthen your business over time. Your price and products may be reasonable and up-to-date - but don’t forget that your competitors’ are pretty darn good too. So in order to differentiate your business from your competitors, you will need to provide your customers an exceptional service that makes your customer loyal to your brand and not others. So even when your competitor offers some seasonal discounts or price cuts, your customers are likely to stick with you as they value the ‘exceptional service’ that you provide. You can also make a more lasting difference by providing personalized, responsive and extra-mile service that stands out in a unique way your customers will appreciate - and remember.

3. Learn to manage your customers’ expectations. It is impossible to make every customer happy as you can’t always give them everything their hearts desire. However you can always help them by bringing their expectations into line with what you know you can deliver. The best way to do this is by first building a reputation for making and keeping clear promises. Once you have established a solid base of trust and good reputation within the community and among your customers, you only need to ask your customers for their patience in your difficult times when you cannot meet their first requests. Nine out of ten times they will extend the understanding and cut you some slack.

Another tricky way to manage customers’ expectations is to ‘under promise, then over deliver’. Here’s an example: you know your customer wants something done really fast. You know it will take an hour to complete. Don’t tell your customer that it will take an hour. Instead, let them know you will try to do it as fast as you can, but promise a 90-minute timeframe. Then, when you actually finish in just one hour (as you knew you would all along), your customer will be delighted to find that you finished the job ‘so quickly’. That’s ‘under promise, then over deliver’.

4. Try to bounce back with effective service recovery during the time of a media/public disaster. Sometimes things can go wrong.  It’s very natural especially in a retail industry where your staffs interact with the masses. When your customer is unhappy for whatever reasons, try to do everything in your power to make things right again. Fix the problem and always show sincere concern for any discomfort, frustration or inconvenience that your business may have caused. Then do a little bit more by giving your customer something positive to remember - a token of goodwill, a gift of appreciation, a discount on future orders, an upgrade to a higher class of product and so on. Certainly this is not the time to play the ‘blame game’ to find the actual faulty person or to calculate the costs of repair.  Your business goodwill and positive word-of-mouth is worth lot more than that.

5. Always try to set and achieve high service standards. You can go beyond basic and expected levels of service to provide your customers with desired and even surprising service interactions. Try to make your business the determinant of the standard for service in your industry, and then make a way to always go beyond it. Give more choice than ‘the usual’ that your competitors, be more flexible than ‘normal’, be faster than ‘the average’, and extend a better warranty than all the others. Your customers will notice your higher standards. But eventually those standards will be copied by your competitors, too. So don’t slow down. Keep stepping up!

6. Sometimes you need to appreciate the negative comments that you receive from your customers. Customers with complaints can be your best allies in building and improving your business. Constrictive comments are the key to improve your service, thus your business will get the best feedback If you work with a experienced Mystery Shopping provider that understands your requirements and trains their shoppers to mystery shop your business to point out what problems they are facing and what and where you are doing thing wrong. Mystery Shoppers can show where your products or services are below expectations and point out areas where your competitors are getting ahead or where your staff is falling behind.

7. Take personal responsibility for everything that happens in your business. In many organizations, people are quick to blame others for problems or difficulties at work: managers blame staff, staff blame managers, Engineering blames Sales, Sales blames marketing and everyone blames Finance. This does not really help anybody and certainly not your business! Blaming yourself doesn’t work, either. No matter how many mistakes you may have made, tomorrow is another chance to do better. You need high self-esteem to give good service. Feeling ashamed doesn’t help. It doesn’t make sense to make excuses and blame the computers, the system or the budget, either. This kind of justification only prolongs the pain before the necessary changes can take place.

The most reliable way to bring about constructive change in your organization is to take personal responsibility and help make good things happen. When you see something that needs to be done, do it. If you see something that needs to be done in another department, recommend it. Be the person who makes suggestions, proposes new ideas and volunteers to help on problem solving teams, projects and solutions.

8. Try to see the world from each customer’s point of view. We often get so caught up in our own world that we lose sight of what our customers actually experience. Make time to stand on the other side of the counter or listen on the other end of the phone. You can even trying becoming a ‘mystery shopper’ at your own place of business. Or become a customer of your best competition. What you notice when you look from the ‘other side’ is what your customers experience every day.

Finally, always remember that service is the currency that keeps our economy moving. I serve you in one business, you serve me in another and the cycle goes on. When either of us improves, the economy gets a little better. When both of us improve, people are sure to take notice. When everyone improves, the whole world grows stronger and closer together.

So now is the time to make it happen! We live by that motto, do you?

During the economic crisis, some companies have tried to limit their costs by cutting corners on customer service and spend that money on advertising; hoping that more advertising would fix ‘things’. However, this is actually the worst thing you can do to your business.

Customer service matters most now more than ever and here are a couple of reasons for our reasoning:

• When customers buy something during an economic downturn they want assurance that they get maximum value for the money that they spend. They are extremely conscious of the hard-earned money, so they often want additional assistance, education, training, installation, modifications and support from your business. The basic product may remain the same, but they want more service and attention from you, not less.

• Customers need assurance that they made the right decision. In good times, a single bad purchase can be quickly overlooked or forgotten, but during financial crisis, every cent of purchase is scrutinized. As a business you need to provide the assurance your customers seeks with generous service guarantees, regular follow-up and speedy follow-through on all queries and complaints.

• When times are good, customers usually move fast and sometimes don’t even notice the efforts that you are putting in to make them happy. In tougher times, people move more cautiously and notice every extra effort you make to make a “difference”.

• In difficult times, customers spend less time traveling and ‘wining and dining’, and more time cautiously shopping for each and every purchase. Giving great customer service enhances the customer’s shopping experience and boosts your own company’s image to the general community.

• When people have less disposable income overall, many people go through a sense of lower self-esteem. When they get a exceptional service from your business, it automatically boosts their self-image. And when they feel good about themselves, they feel good about your company; and when they feel good about you, they just buy!

• In tough times, customers talk more with each other about saving money and getting good value. So positive word-of-mouth is a powerful force at any given time. In difficult times, even more ears will be listening. So make sure that the words spoken about your business are good ones!

It is very common for every business to go through a difficult time during the crisis. However if you are sticking to your principles and giving your customer a good service, it will definitely benefit you to keep up with your commitment and also to increase customer loyalty.

Mystery Shopping is a great way to figure out how well your business is serving your customers and whether your service level is meeting their expectation. Check out the world’s largest Mystery Shopping Company Database that lists many experts on this field that can help you to make a ‘difference’ even on this tough economy.

Business owners often ask, “What is the optimal level of  service that we should provide to stay in business? How much is too much if our customers are not willing to pay us for it?”

There is no easy answer for that. It’s wise not to go to the moon on service if your current business model on the moon doesn’t work. There is no point to serve yourself to death, bending over backwards and eventually going broke in the process.

As a business owner, you really need to figure out what level of service your business can provide, and match that with what your customers are willing to pay. However do take note that customers rarely put voluntary limits on their service expectations. Customer needs and wants always change and being a customer you will always want more and not less. That’s why it’s very important to make clear service agreements so that the customers know beforehand what to expect. It’s ideal for your business to communicate clearly what it promises to provide, and what it isn’t promising, too!

The manager of a local Network Provider shared this complaint in a forum:

His staff frequently goes into customers’ homes and offices to install modems and communications software. They particularly train their customers to access new e-mail accounts and surf the World Wide Web.

Before his staff can leave, however, office-based customers start asking about unrelated hardware compatibility questions, new software patches/upgrades and ask suggestions on how to fix non-working printers! Eager home-based customers insist on help installing new games and joysticks, debugging new versions of Windows, even assistance repairing their children’s Nintendo!

So to eliminate this kind of problem, your business should clarify and specify what services they do provide…and what services they do not.

So be sure that the service agreements you make with your customers and internal partners are complete and clear. Misunderstanding can lead to disappointment once delivery of your service is underway.

Check with your customers and staff on a regular basis to find out what are the most common misunderstandings and disagreements that arise on a regular basis. You can use a mystery shopping company to help you to get the customer feedback in a more structured manner.

Based on the feedback of your customer and staffs, you can go through your proposals, contracts and service level agreements and wherever uncertainty is found, replace it with accuracy, clarity and understanding.

But do remember that a customer is always “right”!

Even the best product or service receives complaints every now and then. Here are 7 tips to handle them for positive results:

• Let customers express their feelings. Encourage them to get their frustrations out in the open.
• Never argue with your customer. Listen closely to what the customer is saying to you. Even if they are really angry because their son just mouthed off to them and are taking it out on you instead, you don’t want to belittle their concern. Listening shows intelligence and care. Hear them out to the end of the story whenever possible. Nod your head to show that you are paying your utmost attention. Comment in empathy whenever they pause or seem to expect it.
• Never tell a customer “You do not have a problem.” Those are fighting words. Always review all situations objectively. Remember that when a customer is angry, they are likely angry at the situation, not at you. Therefore, keep your cool and put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Review their concerns and address them in such a way as to make right all matters in which they have been wronged. If you believe there is a situation that you cannot handle on your own, make sure you get a manager or supervisor involved. Sometimes angry customers feel better if they believe someone “higher up” is helping them.
• Share your point of view as politely as you can. No matter how angry or obnoxious a customer can get with you, remain calm at all times. If a customer is angry, they will be less likely to remain angry at you if you remain calm, polite, and positive. You may even hear an apology for their initial anger.
• Take responsibility for the problem. Don’t make excuses. If an employee was sick or a supplier let you down, that’s not the customer’s concern.
• Immediately take action to remedy the situation. Promising a solution and then delaying it only makes matters worse. You should follow up even the most heated situation with “Thank you for your understanding.” Concluding the confrontation on a positive and thankful note sets the tone for a pleasant and friendly future relationship for the customer and company.
• Empower your front-line employees to be flexible in resolving complaints. Give employees some scope in deciding when to bend the rules. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, make sure they have you or another manager handle this kind of sensitive situation.

Bonus Tip: Sometimes it helps if you explain to your customers the power you do and do not have within the company. If you are a waitress, merely point out the fact that you do not set the prices or policies. In order to keep your job, you have to follow the rules that were given to you. Sometimes they think you are just being mean, and some people that never work in restaurants don’t understand that you have limited power as a server.

Always try to put yourself in the customer’s position. How would you be reacting if the same situation happened to you? While you may not respond in the same manner, this approach can help you better understand the problem or concern by giving you a different perspective. Be cognizant of your tone of voice and body language. Make sure that what you say and how you say reflects the severity of the situation. Delivering great customer service in today’s retail world will help give you a competitive advantage.

• “How can I help?” Customers often want the chance to clarify in detail what they want and need. Too often, business owners feel the desire or the compulsion to guess what customers need rather than carefully listening first. By asking how you can help, you begin the conversation on a positive note (you are “helping,” not “selling”). And by using an open-ended question, you invite discussion.

• “I can solve that problem.” Most customers, especially business-to-business customers, are looking to buy solutions to a problem that they have. They appreciate direct answers in a language they can easily relate to.

• “I will keep you posted.” Even if your business is a cash-and-carry operation, it probably involves scheduling and managing numerous events. Assure your customers they will be advised of the status of these events. The longer you lead time, the more important this is. The vendor’s customers trust the most are those that keep them apprised of the situation, whether the news is good or bad.

• “I don’t know for sure, but I’ll find out.” When confronted with a truly difficult query that requires research on your part, admit that you don’t know the exact answer to it. Few things ruin your credibility faster than trying to answer a question when you are uncertain of all the facts. Savvy buyers will often test you with a question they know you can’t answer and then just sit quietly while you struggle to fake an intelligent reply. An honest answer enhances your integrity.

• “I will take responsibility.” Tell your customer you realize it’s your responsibility to ensure a pleasing outcome to the transaction. Assure the customer you know what he or she anticipate and will deliver the product or service at the agreed-upon price. There will be no astonishing changes or expenses required to solve the problem.

• “I will deliver on time.” When a due date has already be agreed upon, it is a promise that must be kept. “Sorry don’t work during public holidays” doesn’t count.

• “Monday means Monday.” The last week in December means the last week in December, even though it contains a national holiday. Your clients are waiting to hear you say “I deliver on time.” The supplier who consistently does so is a rarity and will be remembered.

• “It’ll be just what you ordered.” It will not be “similar to,” and it will not be “better than” what was ordered. It will be exactly what was ordered. Even if you believe a replacement product would be in the client’s best interest that is still not something that you should just decide yourself. Your customer may not know the ramifications of the purchase.

• “The job will be complete.” Always assure the customer that there will be no waiting time for a final piece or a last document. Never say you are finished “except for….”

• “I appreciate your business.” This means more than a simple “Thanks for the order.” Genuine appreciation involves follow-up calls, offering to answer questions, making sure everything is performing satisfactorily, and ascertaining that the original problem has been solved.

Neglecting any of these steps conveys the impression that you were interested in the person only until the sale was made and you got some cash out of your client. This leaves the buyer feeling deceived and used, and creates ill will and negative advertising for your company. Sincerely proving you care about your customers leads to recommendations and repeat sales.

And still leaders of today do not invest pro-actively in front line staff. Some of us try to join in the web 2.0 processes by getting bloggers on our side or by reactively fixing the problem. Still these leading brands box front line performance as a staff expense and not as a crucial realization of the branding efforts. Can we please un-box and accept the experience economy is here to stay?

I just became an Ambassador of the Mekong Riverview hotel in Luang Prabang in Laos. It’s not an official title, Ambassador, just a term I use for being an amazingly loyal customer. As a self claimed experience specialist, I guarantee you will be amazed by the people who run this place. The thing is I haven’t even visited it yet but plan to do so 2 months from now. But I am a fan and I will promote them to the world. Daniel, the manager there, has been able to build my experience even before I visited the hotel.

www.mekongriverview.com, ask for Daniel!

The hotel is based in Laos PDR which can also be described as “Laos Please don`t rush,” the same attitude many professionals around the world demonstrate when it comes to front line branding experiences. A marketing effort brought me to the Mekong Riverview hotel, a beautiful hotel, but the hotel`s team itself made it clear to me that I should spend my dollars on them. And for Laos, believe me, it’s not the cheapest hotel and the city does have fancier hotels at comparable if not lower rates.

Hoteliers are known to be active in an industry that is somewhat old fashioned. The organizational structure, marketing initiatives and product offer are not always as fancy or innovative. Yet here I was begging for a room at this hotel after they informed me all large rooms were booked. Are the clichés true? Are consumers really prepared to pay more for the right experience?

In one key aspect Hoteliers are leading the world; it’s the realization that once a customer walks in to your environment, their work really starts. It’s the realization that once customers honor us with their visit we can create value, a long lasting friendship and make them our ambassadors who will promote and sell our brand for life.

And somehow retailers and other industries believe it’s not the case for them simply because the level of interaction between customer and staff is not the core of their existence. They are in the business of margins and costing. Customers buy shoes and bags; guests buy smiles and warmth?? Apologies for those 10 retailers around the world who do act on this or the other retailers who do have service or experience in their mission statement which is a nice start.

We box things so we can understand and make sense of things, and any investment in the frontline has to be boxed which again will relate to costs and margins. Is it staff related? Then it must not exceed 3% of store sales. These boxes have a purpose and they make sense. They also aid in terms of keeping control and we can’t simply blame middle management for not being entrepreneurial or breaking out of these boxes. Or can we? How do you change ancient ways of doing it?

It`s time to make that step and fortunately some of us are. Some of our luxury brand clients in Japan started benchmarking with Hotels instead of with just each other. We sit them down together with Hoteliers to share best practices. It’s time to stop only acknowledging that retaining a customer is far more cost effective than replacing one. It`s time to stop using powerful words like excellent service and great experiences in the mission statement or statements like “once a customer always a prospect”.

It is time to act.

Let`s look at the hospitality model of The Hotel School The Hague (Netherlands), consistently ranked in the top three hospitality schools in the world.

This “simple” model shows where the experience is created. The experience is not just made by the offer itself; it is finalized where offer and demand meet which is at the front line of the organization. Conventionally retailers have been investing in working on either sides and not so much on where it meets. We claim we do, but we don`t. We research and invest in marketing on the demand side, so people love of us and want to visit us, and then we make sure we have the right products/ services in place at the right price in the right environment. Customers pay us money for this. Oh, let’s not forget to hire some staff because unfortunately we can’t automate the last steps and someone needs to get the right size and wrap it all up.

We acknowledge that a nasty staff member could well have a negative impact on a possible purchase or loyalty; perhaps he or she should be removed, perhaps average staff should be trained again next year, yes we should monitor, coach and reward them; but in reality we don`t seriously. The budget does not fit the box and please don’t rush this. So we lose a 25 year loyal customer and a bunch of her friends and family members with it. Who knows what the (lifetime) value of that is? Well, Ritz Carlton does know actually. And let’s start calling customers guests like hoteliers do.

The most positive factor in the process is that the easiest element to influence, to get to that great experience, to actually get guests to make that purchase, is your people at the front line. The front line teams finalize everything that you put in the mix. It is by far the cheapest investment to be made as long as you don’t box it, but see it as part of the brand experience.

Front line staff leaves us; they are not capable, they only want a dollar per hour more, they are not motivated…they make up excuses; they don’t show up for work. But when we invest in them, give them attention, give them concrete and actionable feedback, train and coach them; they will reward you with loyalty, passion and they will make things happen. They will build your brand to an extent you can’t imagine.

It’s just like any other relationship, if you don’t build it, it will never grow or it never actually existed. Let’s pick up the speed and un-box the ancient way of doing.

My two cents.

One essential tool for generating repeat customers is following up. Effective follow-up begins straight away after the sale when you call the customer to say “thank you” and find out if he or she is pleased with your product or service. Beyond this, there are several efficient ways to follow up that ensure your business is always in the customer’s mind.

• Always let your customers know what you are doing for them. This can be in the form of a regular newsletter mailed to all your existing customers, or it can be more informal, such as a phone call. Whatever method you use, the key is to dramatically highlight to customers the excellent service you are providing them. If you never mention all the things you are doing for them, customers may not even get a chance to notice or use them effectively. You aren’t being cocky when you talk to your customers about all the work you have done to please them. Just make a phone call and let them know they don’t have to worry because you handled the paperwork, called the attorney or double-checked on the shipment-one less thing they have to do.
  

• Keep it personal. E-mails make it very easy to communicate, but the personal touch is often lost. If you’re having trouble getting through to someone whose problem requires that personal touch, leave a voice-mail message that you want to talk to the person directly or will stop by his or her office at a designated time. You can try writing old customers personal, handwritten notes frequently. For instance it can go like:”I was just going through some old files in the office and your name popped into my head. Are you still having a great time flying all over the country? Let me know if you need another set of luggage. I can stop by with our latest models any time.” Or if you run into an old customer at an event, follow up with a note: “It was great seeing you at the CDC Christmas party. I’ll call you early in the New Year to schedule a lunch.”

• Always remember special occasions. Send regular customers birthday cards, anniversary cards, holiday cards…and wish them in whatever occasion you can think of. Gifts are excellent follow-up tools, too. You don’t have to spend a fortune to show them that you care; use your creativity to come up with interesting gift ideas that tie into your business, the customer’s business or his or her recent purchase.

• Pass on information. If you read an article, see a new book, or hear about an organization a customer might be interested in, drop a note or make a quick call to let them know. Sometimes these techniques are extremely useful to build their trust on you and your business.

• Consider follow-up calls as business development calls. When you talk to or visit old clients or customers, you’ll often find they have referrals to give you, which can lead to new business.

With all your existing customers can do for you, there’s simply no reason not to stay in regular contact with them. Use your imagination, and you’ll think of plenty of other ideas that can help you develop a lasting relationship.