Edmunds: Listening is key to retaining customers
Hi Gladys: I own a janitorial company.I would like to say it's successful. But I can only say that it pays the bills with a lot of struggle on my part. My employees are great and happy. Most of them have been with me for the 10 years that I have been in business. And, I feel that we do a great job. But, I struggle with getting and keeping customers. I read a column you wrote suggesting to go to current customers and ask them to give you a referral or recommend your services to their friends and family. Three months ago I got a one-year contract to clean several movie theatres. So, I met with the manager and asked him to recommend my services and he declined to do it. That left me thinking that when the contract expires it might not be renewed. I don't get it. Usually things start off good and somehow things start to change against me. What is the big secret to getting and keeping customers? — F. M.
Perhaps the first step you could have taken with the theater manager was to find out if he was satisfied with your services and learn what steps you might be able to take to satisfy him.
For customer retention and satisfaction you have to provide excellent customer care service and the best way to provide customer satisfaction is to listen closely, carefully and sincerely to what your customers want. And, then give it to them! And if that's a secret it's a secret that both large and small businesses should take to heart. Times change, people change and things that we were happy with yesterday may have lost their appeal today. And it's our responsibility to learn from our customers what changes they need from us.
Recently my niece and I stopped in a restaurant after a day of shopping. She is allergic to gluten so we asked for a gluten free menu. The waitress responded to our request by saying that we were the third diners that day looking for a gluten free menu. She went on to say that every day at least one person wants to see a gluten free menu. I asked if she had shared these requests with her manager. She said that she had and that he felt that gluten free was just another passing fad and would soon blow over much like the low carb craze. Needless to say we had to find another place to eat.
Another situation occurred at the car wash that I frequent. Last summer while waiting for my car to go through the car wash the owner was selling discount gift cards to get a car detail. Usually the price is $149 and it was reduced to $100 and I could get the car detailed anytime and at my convenience. It's been almost a year and so far I have had tremendous trouble using my gift card for detail. I call and leave messages and my calls are not returned. And I have sent e-mails trying to get a refund or the car detailed. When I make my weekly trips to get the car washed and attempt to make an appointment the clerk either can't find the appointment book or has nothing available. Needless to say I would not make a recommendation for family or friends to use this company. I hope to be able to redeem my gift card soon and I when I do I plan move on to another car wash.
When business is down and customers are disappearing and you can't figure it out, it just might be because you weren't listening or paying attention to your customers.
In the business world nothing speaks louder than customer dollars. And when the service is bad or people, things and times change and you don't, get prepared for your customers to take their dollars elsewhere.
Gladys Edmunds, founder of Edmunds Travel Consultants in Pittsburgh, is an author and coach/consultant in business development. Her column appears Wednesdays. E-mail her at gladys@gladysedmunds.com. An archive of her columns is here. Her website is gladysedmunds.com.