I was reading Richard Earls’ article about learning some good examples of bad examples and he rightly called out the cable companies, doctors and pharmacists, airlines, software companies, and yes, online travel agencies. He said the customer service bar is pretty low and that it doesn’t take too much to stand above the crowd. And it got me thinking about what keeps a customer coming back for more. I came up with nine things. Do you have some to add? Please leave them in a comment!
- Nurture. Don’t be a salesperson. Invest in the relationship and not the sale. Use newsletters that are targeted. Engage with your clients. Let them know you are invested in them.
- Follow Up. This is a no-brainer, but after each sale, be sure to follow up. Even if you know a trip may not have gone as planned. Sometimes we need to take our medicine. Ignoring a client’s issues will do much more harm—guaranteed.
- Say Thanks. Obviously, you thank them for the sale…right? But look at other opportunities as well. Thanksgiving cards. Holiday cards. Does the autoresponder for your email distribution list thank them for subscribing? What about your out-of-office message for email or voicemail?
- Be Reliable. Do what you say. Say what you do. It really IS that simple. If your clients learn to understand that you will follow through with what you say, they are likely to come back to you time and time again.
- Don’t Lie. In travel, sometimes the S^%$ hits the fan. Never try to hide a glitch from a client and always be honest. By working together most problems can be minimized.
- Read Minds. OK, well that may be an exaggeration, but use the tools at your disposal. It is no coincidence that the Amazon ads for detergent pop up right after you were googling detergent. Use your CRM and anticipate what your clients might like. Got a kid about to graduate high school? Maybe a conGRADulations cruise. Did their daughter just turn 27? Maybe a reminder that you do destination weddings (if you do)? You get the idea.
- Man Up. When you screw up…and we all do. Own the mistake. Everyone will respect you much more for it in the end.
- Be Human. Technology is fantastic. We can now communicate in ways that we never thought possible. But please don’t forget about personal interaction. Make that phone call. Scribble that note. Send a personally written email, or better yet real mail.
- Surprise Them. And this one might cost some money but deliver the unexpected. It could be a gift onboard a cruise. A spa treatment at their hotel. A ride to the airport. A customer appreciation party. We all love surprises and it keeps them guessing!
More? Leave a comment!
