Building Connection Summer 2016

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BUILDING CONNECTION SUMMER 2016 57
insight into your business and industry and rewarding them
appropriately.
TIP 2: PRIORITISE CUSTOMER RETENTION
Don’t do the dump and run and wash your hands after the
deposit has been taken or the job has been completed.
Continue to find ways to engage with that customer. Make
contact via a courtesy call one month after a job is complete
and check that everything is ok.
TIP 3: MAKE WRONGS RIGHT
If you do something wrong, admit it and fix it – and fast.
There is no quality more redeeming than someone who
admits they are wrong and takes steps to fix things.
TIP 4: REWARDS GO FAR
If a customer has been referred to you, find out who made
the referral and send them a bottle of champagne, a slab or
beer or something to say thank you. They won’t be expecting
it so it has even more impact.
TIP 5: REMEMBER MY NAME
It may be impossible to try to remember everyone you
meet or information about them but it’s easy to do if you
keep some simple records of your customers. For example,
do they have children, a dog, birthdays or anniversaries?
There was a great restaurant in Sydney I used to go to that
was booked out eight months in advance. We used to make
a booking while we were there for the next time and so on.
Although we only went there every eight months, the owner
used to greet us by name and ask about our family or work or
recall something we spoke about last time we were there. I
was always amazed that she remembered (or took the time
to make a note for our next visit). I also meet a friend of mine
at the same coffee shop once every eight weeks. When we
arrive, the waitress always says, “would you like the usual?”
they must get 50 customers a day yet they remember us and
our order. Impressive!
The best thing about gaining and maintaining customer
loyalty is that it doesn’t take much time or effort but it
does need to be a conscious decision and action – and it’s
worth it.
Contact:
Cecelia is the director of Marketing Elements, which
specialises in PR for the building and environmental sectors.
She has over 20 years’ experience with many well-known
brands in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Cecelia
develops and delivers PR courses and she is the chair of the
Registered Consultancies Group Committee for PRIA.
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