CHICAGO — Keeping existing customers is always more cost effective than finding new ones, but today’s consumers have more companies striving for their attention than ever before. To stand out from the crowd sometimes takes the personal touch.
For this American Drycleaner Your Views survey, we asked owners about the ways they use to keep their customers coming back.
When asked what strategies they found most effective in encouraging first-time customers to become repeat customers, two-thirds (66%) said their solution was “providing personalized service, while 20% offered a first-time customer discount. Sending follow-up communications thanking them for their business was the answer for 7%. “The fact that we offer same day service 6 days a week usually is enough for a new customer to be won over,” says another respondent.
Our respondents also commented about the incentives they’ve found that work best to build repeat business.
- “Do your best work as customer service. Give customers VALUE for their hard-earned dollars.”
- "Onboard them well. Show them you care and have the fine details covered. ‘Wow’ them before they give you a piece of clothing. Then do a great job on their clothes.
- “Knowledge, Time, and Effort. Whatever it takes to differentiate us in the marketplace.”
Measuring customer satisfaction was a function valued by 60% of our respondents, with the other 40% reporting that they didn’t have programs in place for assessing this metric.
Offering promotional deals for existing customers isn’t something the majority of our owners are interested in providing, with 73% reporting that they “rarely or never” did that. Of the ones who do, 7% reported that they offered them monthly, with another 7% offering them annually. There were weekly offers made by the remaining 14%.
One of the hallmarks of a business that can retain its clients is what happens when there’s an error or some other reason the customer becomes unhappy. We asked our respondents what they did when such a thing occurs. Responses included:
- “Make the customer happy. They are ‘right’ unless it's blatantly obvious and it's clear they are taking advantage of you. Stand behind your work. Pay for anything that they aren't happy about, within reason.”
- “Take written notes in front of the complaining customer. Address the problem. Find common ground when possible. Follow up within 48 hours if necessary.”
- “Follow up immediately from management. Rectify the problem through whatever means necessary.”
We finished by asking our owners if they had additional thoughts about their customer retention strategies. Their answers included:
- “We also have no part time CSRs, only seasoned ones. Several of my CSRs have been with me from the beginning. Customers seeing familiar faces is important.”
- “Be excellent. Don't worry about ‘deals and incentives.’ Treat them well. Give them great quality and don't budge on your prices.”
- “Never give them an excuse to try the competition.”
The “Your Views” survey offers a current snapshot of the trade audience’s views. The publication invites qualified subscribers to American Drycleaner emails to participate anonymously in the unscientific poll each quarter.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
