A successful business owner once told me that as soon as he gets a call from a customer who has been buying a similar product from another company, he knows he can strike to steal that customer. Most customers are lazy and if their current provider is satisfying their needs, they won’t look around. But once those needs are not met and the customer doesn’t get the sense of feeling valued, they become vulnerable to being stolen.
It is tough to attract new customers. However, once you have them, you must never feel you can rest on your laurels to keep them.
The Two-Touch Method is an approach that suppresses the desire for customers to leave your business. If you are delivering on the promise you have given to the customer in regards to the product or service; this method will dramatically strengthen your relationship, so even if the competition approaches your customer, they will not want to leave you.
The first touch in the Two-Touch Method is with an internal co-worker. The intention should be to build a relationship with other team members in your organization. Getting to know something about what the team member likes to do outside of work: hobbies, talents, family, etc. Helping other team members get their job done easier by quicker response to requests for information, appreciation for their accuracy/availability, or pats on the back as a show of appreciation for something they have accomplished. By improving how you work together internally, the better external customers can be served. It doesn’t have to be big, but must be done on a regular basis. Every week, at least one internal touch should be attempted.
The second touch is with the customer. A phone call, an email, a quick note is sometimes all it takes to keep a relationship alive and for the customer to know you care about them. For example, my dog’s veterinary office called me last week after I had placed an order with an online company to purchase flea/tick medication. It required the vet’s approval and I had provided the contact information for them. All they had to do was give the okay for the order to be shipped. However, the office worker noted that it would be cheaper for me to purchase both the flea/tick medication with the heart worm medication vs. purchasing them separately. She was calling to see if I had noticed the bundled package would be less expensive before she okayed the order.
The differential was not a huge amount, but it provided an opportunity for her to create a touch point with me. By calling to discuss the order, she was able to let me know they were looking out for my best interests. One more reason to build my loyalty with this veterinary. Be vigilant. Review activities that could give you opportunities to make a customer touch point.
The cost of attracting a new customer is 3 to 5 times more than keeping the customer you have. By using this Two-Touch Method, you will be able to retain those current customers and in many cases they will help attract customers from your competitors because they will be raving how much they love doing business with you.