Relationship gone sour? Don’t be the bitter ex

17 Feb, 2021 - 19:02 0 Views
Relationship gone sour? Don’t be the bitter ex

The Sunday Mail

“Accept failure as part of the process.” – Unknown

COMPANIES owe it to their current or prospective customers to give it their all.  Excellent customer service is not limited when customers stop patronising the organisation, it should be done always and embedded in the organisation’s culture.

Customers are like products, they go through different stages in their life cycle with any organisations that they do business with. However, they will come a time when certain customers may want to leave the organisation and this is due to a variety of reasons. If, however, there is a chance to not let go of customers that add value to the organisation, it must be grabbed with both hands.

Organisations must never be bitter that a customer is leaving but they should put their energy on retaining those that they can retain. Below are some of the ways they can use to make their customers stay

  1. Use experienced representatives

When an organisation wants to save a failed relationship with its customer(s) the best tool is to use the best experienced company representatives who have the capability to convince. When no one else fails to save the relationship, these representatives have in-depth knowledge on how to fix it. They know the right spots to press that will make the customer think twice before making a decision to leave but, they end up staying. Their experience with the organisation and its products and their ability to articulate and iron out any differences will make the customer stay or leave.

  1. Present offers

Company representatives tasked to take care of customers wanting to leave the organisation are usually equipped with special offers meant to lure customers back to the organisation. These offers are pre-determined offers and are called save offers which include discounts. Note that discounts do not make customers stay but they will just keep them for a short while.

Organisations must, therefore, do a regular review of the offers and decide on the ones to continue using and the ones to drop. They must know that things like changing product features, pricing and distribution network, physical evidence or even the ambience of the organisation offices, are essential to customers when making a decision to either stay or leave.

Also, when coming up with offers the major thing that organisations must consider is the customer value as this determines the type of offer to be given to different customers at different times.

  1. Keep in touch with the leaving customers

Sometimes customers stop patronising the organisation because they do not have the need for the company’s products anymore or they would have moved into a different geographical location. For instance, with vehicle servicing, a customer may decide to sell their only car which means they may not need their mechanic during the period when the car is sold and waiting to purchase another one. The mechanic or vehicle servicing company used by the customer must keep in touch with him/her. Regular communication will make it easier for the organisation to reconnect with the customer when they buy a new vehicle because they will still need vehicle servicing. This strategy can be termed as the “move-and-follow programme” and is aimed at not losing contact with the customer even when they have no need for the organisation products or services at that particular moment but they can always refer others.

  1. Never frustrate a leaving customer

Some organisations are notorious for frustrating customers that may be moving their business elsewhere. They make the process rigorous or give excuses if the customer is of high value. This type of treatment will further worsen the deteriorating relationship with the customer and chances of that customer ever coming to do business with the organisation will probably be very slim. Sometimes companies and customers wash their dirty linen in public or even take each to court. The embarrassment caused by such actions will make it impossible for them to ever reconcile and do business together.

  1. Never give them a chance to exit

When there is no structural, geographical or any other issue inhibiting customers to continue doing business with the organisation, the representatives must never allow them to leave. The only way businesses can make customers stay is through making sure that they do not want to leave. This is only possible if they are able to give them exceptional customer service which not only satisfies them but also give them delight.

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments and suggestions, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461.

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