Keeping your customers happy is an important part of doing business. Not only should they be satisfied with your goods or services, you should also do your best to ensure they feel happy in dealing with and being associated with your business. Here’s a couple of top tips to keep your customers’ custom.

Packaging
This may work more effectively for your product when it expresses a widely held value, such as care for the environment, or serves a practical purpose, such as returning the empty container such as Ink Jet cartridges.

Delivery
Think convenience to the customer. Provide them with the narrowest possible delivery time window in advance. Call ahead if it’s a large delivery so the customer can prepare to receive the goods.

24/7
Office hours are a thing of the past. The increasing numbers of businesses operating from home and want to be able to access information round the clock. First Direct led the way in this area as they where one of the first companies to offer 24 hour access to a call centre.

User Instructions
Invite a panel of target users to write the instructions. Invite ‘Crystal mark’ to approve your paperwork for plain English. Include foreign language versions where appropriate.

Help Line
Use a customer help line to find out whether there’s anything else the customer needs. Use people instead of automated machines, they’ll tell you more and the personal service will be appreciated.

Thanks to Gordon Jones. For more marketing guidance visit http://www.successfulmarketing.co.uk/