There was a recent conversation on the MompreneursOnline forum about the economy and how it is impacting our business. Since I have been in business for only a year, I am not sure if the slow down many of us our experiencing is due to the time of year or it is a reflection of the unstable economy. So keeping current customers is so important to maintaing our businesses.

There are things that I like to do to help build relationships with our customers. Women especially are very relationship oriented and look to make connections before choosing a company to do business. This definitely the case in my business.
Here are a few things that I do to help maintain my current customers and gain new ones:
Keep the lines of communication open: Be open to suggestions on how you can add or delete services or products. Showing you care about their satisfaction level speaks volumes about your commitment to them. If you haven’t heard from them in a while, touch base to see how things are going.

Methods of Communication: It is best to not rely strictly on e-mail to communicate. Either call or visit. It brings that relationship to another level. Also a handwritten note shows you took time for them and is a welcome surprise when they open their mail.

Turning Bad into Good: So you mess up. Cease the opportunity to take the bad situation (which you can’t change anyway) and show your customer you want to make it right. Address it immediately and go above and beyond to make sure everyone involved is satisfied.

We all love that feeling of connection. If we limit it to just our personal relationships, we are missing out on so much. Letting your customers know you care about them and their business will get you so far – business wise as well as a personal feeling of gaining a new connection.