The backbone and foundation of your business are your customers. Without them, you don’t have a company to run and manage. You need them if you’re going to continue to operate now and into the future. Treat them well, and you’ll notice that your business takes a turn for the better. It’s your job as the business owner to keep your customers happy and coming back.

There are actions you can take that will help you achieve this goal and keep your company moving in the right direction. It’s certainly one area of your business that you need to and should focus on if you’re going to get ahead and maintain a strong position in your industry.

Make Them Feel Important: You can keep your customers happy by making them feel important. Each person who walks through your doors or who you speak with on the phone should receive a warm welcome. You never want to take your customers for granted or make them think you don’t appreciate them. Go the extra mile for each person you interact with by not only meeting their expectations but exceeding them. Send them a birthday card or thank you note and show them personal attention. Smile warmly when you’re conversing with your customers and be friendly and approachable. Reward your loyal customers with generosity and discounts, so they feel important.

Host Events: Another way to keep your customers happy and engaged in your business and to increase your visibility in the community is to host events. For instance, you can throw a customer appreciation or product launch party and wine and dine them. Make your next event a success by serving plenty of food and drinks, giving them a sneak peek into what you’re going to be rolling out next, and supplying each person with a name badge so they can network and get to know one another better. It’s the perfect way to show you care and to give back to people who’ve been loyal to you over the years.

Photo, Priscilla Du Preez.

Listen to Them: One of the most important steps you can take to keep your customers happy is to listen to them. They want to be heard and to have a platform for voicing their opinions. Give them plenty of outlets where they can speak their mind and share their opinions and viewpoints with you. Instead of always doing all the talking, lend an open ear and hear more about what they do and don’t like about your business currently. Give them your undivided attention without distractions and avoid trying to listen while you’re multitasking. Make eye contact if you’re face-to-face and indicate that you’re listening closely over the phone by summarising what you heard.

Communicate with Your Customers: Open up the lines of communication if you want to keep your customers happy. Fill them in on what’s going on with your business instead of leaving them in the dark or having them be surprised. Know your products and services well so you can answer any questions correctly and quickly. Ask the right questions, such as what they want from your business and try to understand their needs better. Avoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions and gather facts. It’s especially vital that you communicate more frequently in times of uncertainty or when big changes are happening within your company.

Solve Their Problems: Your customers don’t want to feel frustrated or abandoned when working with your company. Therefore, you must solve their problems in a timely fashion. Keep your customers happy by hearing them out and then offering up solutions that will satisfy them. If you’re unsure of how to solve a problem or don’t have answers, then be truthful and get back to them with a resolution as soon as possible. Train your employees to know what to do in a variety of situations and scenarios so that each person can help out your customers. Avoid leaving them hanging and wondering and provide concrete steps you’re going to take to rectify the problem.

Keep Your Promises: If you want your customers to be happy, then you have to keep your promises. You can’t make a commitment to take action and then do nothing and expect them to be pleased. You must be able to deliver on your promises and keep your word if you want to receive positive reviews about your service. Be mindful of what you say and how you say it so that you don’t get yourself into hot water. Try your best to not only do what you say you’re going to but to go above and beyond if at all possible. You must keep your promises with new and potential customers who may be testing the waters with your business and unsure if they’ll use you again in the future.

Photo, You X Ventures.

Make Changes & Improvements Based on Feedback: You not only want to listen to your customers better but also to take their comments seriously. Keep your customers happy by making changes and improvements based on their feedback. Hear them out and then be willing to modify your approach as to suit their needs better. They will notice these efforts, and you’ll likely be rewarded for them. If you let them talk and then never make enhancements to your processes or products, then you risk wasting your customer’s time and having them walk away. Follow up with customers who have helped you improve and thank them for their input.

Get to Know Them: Get to know your customers better to keep them happy. Know who they are on a first-name basis, their interests, and what they usually buy from you. It’ll show that you’re attentive and detail-oriented and that you see them as more than just a number or transaction. Treat your customers as individuals who each have separate interests and needs. Understand that no two people are alike and that you must adapt accordingly to meet each person’s expectations. It also includes you communicating with each person based on their preferred style.

Make it Easy to Get in Touch: It should never be difficult for customers to get in touch with you. Make it as easy as possible if you want to avoid them feeling frustrated with your company. Provide many customer service channels and outlets so that they can choose whatever means they feel most comfortable using.

While it’s nice to hear compliments, you also need to be prepared to hear the complaints. Make it easy for your customers to complain and speak to you so that they feel acknowledged. Send a follow-up message or survey so that they can tell you how it was working with your business. The easier it is to find you the less upset they’ll likely be once they get a hold of you.

Share Relevant & Timely Content: Show your customers you care and that you’re the experts by sharing relevant and timely content with them. Use your website, blog, and social media channels to distribute information and data that makes their lives easier and that they find exciting and engaging. It’s an excellent way to stay in touch with them and to reward your customers for taking an interest in your business. It’s a way to thank them and to ensure they’re kept up to date about how and why your company can help make their lives easier and solve their problems. Keep your customers happy by giving them tips and tricks in your blog posts and newsletters that they can actually use in their lives.

Photo, Headway.

Be Responsive: If there’s one action you take that’s going to keep your customers happy it’s always to be responsive. You never want to run and hide or ignore critical matters that your customers view as important. Make sure that you’re not only responding to emails and phone calls but are monitoring your social media channels for customer service questions and issues. Also, respond to the comments on your blog posts and to negative reviews you receive online. It’s better to address the problem head-on than it is to pretend it never happened or to act like nothing’s wrong. Customers appreciate you being honest and forthcoming instead of trying to cover up your mistakes.

Conclusion: These are a few practical ways you can keep your customers happy and involved in your business. It takes hard work, and there’s a lot to it, but once you get the hang of it and implement these ideas, you’ll be on your way to running a much better business. Maintain a sense of humour and show your human side so that customers can get to know the real you. Thank your customers every chance you get and ensure they know that you appreciate their business. Know your business well and be able to speak about it so that you can draw people in and start to build long-lasting relationships with your customers. You’ll be increasing your brand awareness and boosting your reputation when you follow through with these suggestions and are committed to delivering exceptional service.