12 Practical Ways to Keep Customers Coming Back

By Candice Bernardoni

Customers. Where would we be without them? Well, according to my logic, I’d say nowhere. So many companies I have dealt with talk about spending thousands of dollars on marketing their small business, but often forget the number one rule: “It costs less to keep a customer than it does to find a new one.”

The singular most important thing you can offer in your business—above anything else—should be excellent service. Let me share with you 12 simple ways I have kept my customers coming back over the years by offering great service.

How to keep your customers coming back

1. Be real

There are real humans behind the scenes. Your customers do not want to talk to robots and bots, and as much as technology is great, and there is most definitely a place for it, nothing is better than having an actual phone number your customers can call and a human who talks to them.

2. Train your staff

The person who answers the phone should be aligned with your customer demographic and their needs.

In my company, having someone in their mid-fifties talk knowingly to a woman about bunions and wide feet helps the customer feel like they are being understood and heard. If your staff shows genuine interest in the concerns of your customers, this will immediately create empathy, and in turn, trust.

3. Don’t be afraid to stand in front of your label

Often we know and support brands, but we have no idea who the people are behind them. We may spend months, or even years, communicating with a member of an organization, and can’t put a face to a name.

Don’t be afraid to share information about your staff. Customers want to know who is behind the organization they support. Have bios of employees on your website, share them in videos (and yes, you may have to bribe a few of them!). Authenticity is key, and it will be felt by your customers.

4. Commit to your standards and guarantees: do as you say

Always stick to your standards and your guarantees. Honor your word. If you say you will do something for a customer, make sure you follow through with it. Be clear about what these standards are right from start. Never compromise on service.

5. Make the returns process easy

If someone is having difficulty filling out an online form, do it for them. If you can help customers get through the returns process and feel like they're being heard and supported, they are more likely to buy from you again and recommend you. Too often, customers have had nightmare experiences returning products and expect that to be standard practice. Make it your priority to ensure they have the best experience possible with your company and keep coming back. It isn’t that difficult.

6. The best service should be after the sale

The after-sales service promise is often one that is sadly lacking. We've all been customers: you’ve been promised the earth, you are excited, you can’t wait to get your product, then you’ve been dumped! Silence…crickets…nothing. Rejection sets in and you wonder what you have done wrong—was it something you said?

Offering awesome after-service communication is key to keeping your customers happy. Ask for feedback. Send them a thank-you note and a coupon toward their next order. Your customers will feel valued, appreciated and are more likely to want to go on that “second” or “third” date with you! Who knows, it could be a perfect match for years to come, keeping your customers coming back time after time.

7. Don’t be a doormat

There will always be people who are not happy with what you do. This is part of life and you can’t please everyone all of the time. Be okay with this. The best you can do in these situations is stand by your integrity, your business, and the good will always prevail. Don’t be held hostage by the threat of a bad review.

8. Smile when you answer the phone

I dare you to try this. Answer the phone with a huge smile, and your customers will feel the genuine warmth. If every time you pick up the phone, you do it with a positive attitude, I guarantee it can totally change the outcome of your calls, and you also may end up making someone’s day.

9. Solve the problem

There is no greater customer service than a live conversation with a real human who genuinely wants to solve a customer issue. If you are having an email conversation with a customer and can see they have an issue, pick up the phone! Talk to them. Solve their problem. Offer them solutions. The easiest way to disarm an angry customer is turn their experience into a positive one. It is also much harder for customers to be crabby and rude when they are talking to a human who wants to help them.

10. Ditch the bots and autoresponders

“Oh, they really make you feel special, don’t they," said no one ever. Sure, bots and autoresponders can be useful in a business, if they're used sparingly. But at the end of the day, there is no substitute for real contact with a real human.

11. Make sure you can be contacted easily

A genuinely transparent business will have a website with an address and direct contact phone number on the first page. Even better, when said phone number is used, there will be a human on the other end who will answer questions immediately or get back to customers within a reasonable time frame.

12. Pay attention to what your customers are telling you

Having a great review process and a genuine desire to hear your customers' feedback not only helps you address problems quickly, but also helps you develop your business. Ultimately, if you have your listening ears on and give customers what they want (within reason), this will benefit everyone.

Keeping customers happy is an ongoing process

In summary, set your standards right from day one and continually make sure that these standards are being met and updated as required. Always give your customer more than they expect and you will keep customers coming back.

Enjoy the process, have fun, and here’s to a successful business!

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