Client acquisition plays an important role when it comes to running a successful business. But did you know that acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one? Many business owners overlook the importance of client retention even though the right customer retention strategies will save you money and provide a sense of security through recurring bookings. We’ll explain client retention, why it matters for your business, and provide strategies for you to increase customer satisfaction.
What Is Client Retention?
Customer retention involves all of the activities a business participates in to keep customers buying their product or service. Once you’ve figured out how to get more customers for your cleaning business, you’ll want to explore how to make those people repeat customers.
It’s all about delivering value to your existing customer and making sure they have a positive customer service experience so they continue to use your services. Customer retention strategies can incorporate rewards programs and other relationship-building initiatives that focus on providing the clients you have with outstanding customer service.
Continue reading to learn more about why retaining customers is so crucial for the success of your business.
Why Does Customer Retention Matter?
Retaining customers is key to operating a successful cleaning business. When you make customer satisfaction a core operating principle, every happy customer you have will become a brand ambassador for your business. A loyal customer will not only return to you repeatedly for cleaning, but they’ll also recommend your services to their friends, families, and colleagues.
Along with providing free advertising, repeat customers supply you with feedback to use to improve your quality or business operations. Make use of this feedback to gain a better understanding of what’s working well for your business and the types of services your customers expect.
Returning Customers Offer Stability
So many variables exist outside of your control when seeking out new customers. When you concentrate your business resources on customer retention, you have complete control over the level of service you provide—to keep customers coming back for more.
This gives you stability. Returning customers often schedule predictable, recurrent bookings, and seeing these repeat bookings on your calendar lets you plan and budget ahead.
Repeat Customers Spend More Money
Once you build a relationship with an existing customer, they are more likely to spend more money at your business than a new customer. An existing customer tends to book services repeatedly over the lifetime of your relationship with them, and those numbers add up over time! Even if they take advantage of promotions you offer, if you land and retain the right commercial cleaning clients who book services regularly, you’ll significantly increase your monthly earnings.
New Customers Cost More
A study cited in Harvard Business Review found that acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining a current customer. Advertising to attract new clients can be expensive, and it doesn’t always work. You’ll save money if you focus on a marketing retention strategy that prioritizes satisfaction for your current clients.
Returning clients promote your business
People talk. If you provide excellent service, your satisfied customers will promote your cleaning business for you. Maybe they’ll get online and give you a good review. Or, they’ll tell friends and family about all your impressive services. Existing customers could sell your services and introduce you to a potential new income source. Even a recurring customer who might not spend a lot at your business could introduce you to a new loyal customer who is a big spender.
Customer Retention Strategies
You can take these actionable steps to improve client retention. Employ a combination of these five customer retention strategies to learn what works best for increasing your business profits.
1. Stick to your core business principles
What do you bring to the table that other companies don’t?
Outstanding service, affordability, punctuality, pristine cleaning, friendliness—When you get clear on your business values, you’ll have an easier time sticking to them.
Get clear on the core values of your business and stick to them fiercely. Your clients will know what to expect from you.
Nurture your values within your company culture. Make sure your staff understand and uphold your core business principles.
2. Appeal to the unique needs of your customers
Consider your customers’ specific needs when providing a service. If you provide commercial cleaning in an office or gym, prioritize disinfecting surfaces in a shared space, especially in pandemic times. Residential clients may have other needs. For example, a single mother might want to maintain a safe, tidy environment for her little ones.
3. Add a personal touch
Send thank-you notes, wish your customers a happy birthday, and personalize automated messages for an added level of professionalism with a personal touch. Cleaning business CRM systems keep track of important events like birthdays and customer anniversaries. You can also use them to send automated messages to easily maintain continuous customer communication.
4. Reward Customer Loyalty
Provide your customers with rewards for their continued business through a loyalty program. They won’t even consider looking elsewhere for cleaning services if you provide quality service and offer savings incentives for repeat bookings. View any money you spend on promotions through your loyalty program as a business investment – the repeat business will more than compensate for any promotional special you offer.
5. Keep Bookings Organized
Make booking services as easy as possible for your customers and make tracking your bookings simple for you and your employees. With the right scheduling software, your customers can book cleaning services with just a couple of clicks, and you stay organized by monitoring everything in one place.
Conclusion
If you want to save money and naturally grow a successful cleaning business, focus your resources on customer retention strategies that promote customer satisfaction. Understand the core values of your business (and stick to them). Always go above and beyond to answer to the unique needs of your customer.. Then the rest will fall into place!
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