Quick Questions About Retaining Customers

I’m doing some research and I have some important questions for you this week. Your answers may end up in my published results!

 Question about customer retention

Please take a moment to answer one or both of the following:

1. As a business owner or employee: What is the single most important thing you’ve done to get a customer or client’s repeat business?

2. As a customer or client: What is the single most important thing that someone can do to earn your repeat business?

Please answer in the comments section below and feel free to share with others! Thanks in advance!

Please note: By answering these questions you are giving me permission to use your answers in a published document.

16 thoughts on “Quick Questions About Retaining Customers”

  1. 1. It’s hard to say. In my transcription business I do my best to provide a good service at an affordable rate while staying personal and connected with my clients. I must be doing something right in that regard because many of them have been with me for four years or more.

    2. Just be honest and provide a quality product or service. That’s really all I ask for.

  2. Honesty and fairness apply whether you are the business person or the consumer. If you do what you love to do and provide your product or service in the way that you would want to receive it, you will always be successful. A consumer will always recognize that good quality at a fair price and become a return customer. The Golden Rule is still the best measure.

  3. I always listen to what the client is looking for, offer affordable, fair prices and I am honest about what I am able to do and not do for the client.

  4. This is going to be a great discussion – thank you for inviting us to participate!

    For #1, as far as my proofreading business goes, the most important thing I have done to get repeat business is to do quality work in the first place. I have not advertised, but between previous customers who return with their subsequent books, and word of mouth from them to others, I have kept consistently busy (this is a side business on top of my day job).

    For #2, the single most important thing someone can do to earn my repeat business is interact with me – involve me in feeling a part of the product’s community when things are going well and be responsive when issues arise. I know things go wrong, but it’s the business that does not hide its head in the sand but communicates with me and works to fix things that gets me coming back again and again.

  5. 1. Probably doing an amazing job in with a quick turnover has secured me repeat business with the one organisation.
    2. that’s easy – be giving. I respond well to businesses and individuals that are helpful and professional and friendly – it’s not rocket-science but I happily spend my money in places and on people that are “service” oriented and do it well!

  6. The single most important thing is taking care of the little stuff; do what you say you are going to do, do it on time and say please and thank you. Very easy to do and also very easy to take for granted.

    If you are consistent in taking care of the little things you will create a loyal customer which is a step above a satisfied customer.

    The single most important thing is to acknowledge me; let me know I am important to you.

    There it is, those are my answers………..:)

  7. The single most important thing to keep customers returning is to do what you promised to do, at the time you promised to do it and if possible, perhaps a bit earlier. I would also question my clients about 1x per quarter as to how I’m doing – asking if there is anything else they have that could be outsourced to me and of course, telling them you love referrals!

    I would also focus on being honest with the clients, whether it is the time frame to complete the project or perhaps you’ve never done this type of work before. Be upfront and honest so the client knows what to expect.

  8. Hi Alicia,

    1. Keep them updated on project status throughout the process. When someone is doing work for me I want to know what is going on and how the project is progressing. I expect that and want to make sure I keep my clients in the loop.

    2. Be honest throughout the process and perform quality work, and as I mentioned above, keep me in the loop. If I hire a freelancer for work and want to know that are keeping things on schedule 🙂

  9. Hiya!

    Question 1 – Delivering quality work, on time, and at a set cost.

    Question 2 – Treat me how they would wish to be treated themselves if the roles were reversed.

    Hope this helps 🙂
    Michelle

  10. Hi Alicia,
    As far as keeping customers I found that having having honesty and integrity/ doing what I say I will do works best for me.

    As a customer, the same applies.

    In 2nd place would be having a “pleasing personality.”

  11. Transparency is important. Deliver on your promises, but when things do go wrong, be quick to provide updates.

    I think that the answer to both questions is (for me) the same.

  12. I try to be as helpful as possible to my clients without creating unrealistic expectations. As I work on a project I make notes on other ways I can help improve their business. I am honest up front about time and cost- and never miss a deadline…

  13. I treat my clients with dignity, respect and honesty. Since I am selective of my clients, I try to make sure we gel from the start. I treat them as I want to be treated as a client. I am a firm believer in Karma!

  14. Leonard Evenson

    I agree with some of the commenters before me who said they think quality and transparency is the key to keep working for the same company and maybe get new assignments if they recommend you to their associates. I like to use this particular employee monitor software with those firms who want me to commute every day to their offices or move to a home that is closer. I can’t do any of those, so instead of letting go of the job opportunity (times are tough and we are all struggling to keep our jobs and get more projects to work on) I suggest they use this software which sends real-time information about what the employee is doing on their computer during their working hours. You can’t ask for more transparency than that, except if you want to hear them too, but in my opinion sound is perfectly redundant in this line of work. I hope this information helps you as well!

  15. I agree with the comments already posted! I would like to add that I believe anticipating a customer’s needs and making appropriate suggestions is also an important step to obtaining positive recommendations, referrals, and testimonials.

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