Why this is important
Without
customers you have no business. You will need to put as much effort into
winning and keeping your customers as you do in providing products or services.
Working closely with your customers, understanding their motivations and why
they chose your business will help you to keep their custom and innovate to
attract new customers. Some estimate that it costs ten times as much to attract
a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. Setting your business up
with your customers at its heart will help to keep you ahead of competitors and
earn you invaluable customer loyalty.
Who might do this?
You
might do this if you are:
·
setting up a new business or social
enterprise;
·
running an existing business or social
enterprise
·
Expanding your business or social
enterprise.
What it involves
·
Winning and keeping customers involves:
·
understanding who your customers are;
·
researching their needs;
·
developing good relationships with your customers;
·
encouraging their feedback on your products or
services;
·
continuously trying to improve the
service your business provides; and
·
Reminding customers why they continue to
buy from you.
Other units that link closely with this
o
Find innovative ways to improve your
business
o
Build relationships to build your
business
o
Check what customers need from your business
o
Plan how to let your customers know
about your products or services
o
Decide how you will treat your business
customers
o
Deliver a good service to customers
o
Create the infrastructure your business needs
If your business grows and develops a management team it may be appropriate to
consider the following units from the Management and Leadership Standards.
o
Develop & review a framework for
marketing
o
Resolve customer service problems
o
Monitor and solve customer service
problems
o
Build your organisation\u2019s understanding
of its market & customers
o
Develop a customer focused organization
o
Manage the achievement of customer
satisfaction
What
you need to do
A. Understand
who your customers are and the needs of different groups or types of customer.
B. Identify your customers’ current needs and
future requirements.
C. Consider
if your products or services will appeal to new or potential customers with
specific needs.
D. Work out why customers choose to work with
your business or buy your products or services.
E. Know
your competition and be able to explain to customers the advantages of your offer.
F. Clearly define what products or services your
business delivers and make sure that you present it to customers in a way they
can relate to.
G. Tell
your customers how you are aiming to meet their needs and about new developments.
H. Check that your marketing strategy is based on
an accurate understanding of your customer’s needs and preferences.
I. Check
that your business infrastructure is set up in a way that helps you maximize customer
satisfaction.
J. Identify your most valuable customers and
channel efforts to meet their needs.
K. Build
good relationships with customers by providing good customer service.
L. Encourage
customer loyalty.
M. Strive to continuously improve the service to
your customers and exceed their expectations.
N. Reinforce the feeling in your customers that
they made the right decision by choosing your products or services.
O. Encourage
feedback from your customers and act on it.
What you need to know and understand
The market
1.
What information about your customers that will help you tailors products or
services to meet the needs of the market (for example, typical age, gender,
interests and spending habits).
2.
How to group your customers according to their needs and value to your
business.
3.
Key information about your competitors (for example, how your product or
service differs to theirs, their strengths and weaknesses, how much they charge
for similar products or services).
Marketing
4.
The vision of your business, the products or services it provides and how best
to communicate this information clearly and passionately to potential
customers.
Business infrastructure
5.
What impact your business infrastructure has on the quality of customer service
(for example, efficient IT and communication systems, billing processes or
customer relationship management processes).
Customer’s experience
6.
How to build good and trusting relationships with customers (for example
respond to queries in a timely manner, be flexible and make the extra effort to
meet their requirements).
7.
How you can improve the experience your customers have when dealing with your business
(for example, by being available to them, tailoring products or services to
meet their specific needs and offering discounts for customer loyalty).
8.
How to regularly remind customers of the benefits of dealing with your
business.
Customer feedback
9.
What feedback to get from customers (for example, why they choose to do
business with your organization, how you can improve service and what new
products or services you could offer).
10.
The most effective ways to get feedback from customers.
11.
How to tell customers how you have used their feedback.
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