Do your best customers feel the love?

This month I want to remind you to take care of your customers, especially loyal customers who make repeat purchases. We all have them, those special customers who think our business is simply great. We might even have a name for them… the Gold Customers. They keep buying from us and they tell their friends and business associates. We love them, and it appears they love us, too. But how do we really know? If they stop loving us, will we find out soon enough to fix it?

A few simple steps can ensure that our best customers remain loyal. First of all, find out who they are and make a list. Your bookkeeping systems should be able to get a listing of who has bought the most from you over the last 3 years. Or you may want a listing of who bought most often from you. If you books are, well, informal, look over the invoices that are sitting in a shoe box somewhere. It’s something to do while the Patriots are not entertaining us on weekends and pitchers and catchers haven’t reported to spring training. Whatever you do, make a list of the top 20, 50, or 100 best customers. And tell your staff they are to be treated with special care.

Secondly, call them and say ‘Thank You’. Don’t make it a sales call. It’s simply a call that says … “I know that you are one of our best customers. We really appreciate your business and I’m calling to thank you. If you ever have any concerns, you can reach out directly. My staff has been instructed to make sure you are treated to the best customer service possible.” And make sure you make that call at least once a year, from now ‘til forever.

Third, make sure they remain loyal. Ask your team to generate a Gold Customer sales report every month or every quarter, that shows the revenue from each of the best customers, including the date and amount of the most recent purchase. Look it over to spot trends and identify the customers who may have slowed or stopped purchases. As soon as you see a negative trend, call the customer and ask if everything is OK. When you learn about a problem early, you can fix it. If they are already doing without your product or using a cheaper competitor, it’s too late.

Finally, evaluate whether you want to have a special set of Gold Customer services. Maybe a dedicated support or service person. Or a hand-delivered holiday gift. Maybe a reception after the July 4th parade. If you’re in the hospitality business, you may offer a free dessert or glass of wine with dinner or a room upgrade. Send them a birthday card. There are lots of creative yet inexpensive ways to make them feel loved. Once you decide to pamper your best customers, use your creativity more than your cash to make them feel special. Discounts are rarely appreciated as much as good service.

2009 promises to be a challenging business environment. Businesses that ignore the warnings and don’t make changes are going to struggle. But those of you who decide to take control can do well. Customers want value, and special care coupled with fair prices is the best value we can deliver. Feel free to share your Gold Customer programs with me. You may find your business featured in upcoming columns.