I believe the famous quote from Shep Hyken goes:
There is a big difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer.
When your customers feel valued, they stay loyal to your business. Loyal customers are also the most effective salespeople by sharing your business with their friends and co-workers. They do free word of mouth marketing for you and as a result, your business grows. Therefore, you need to value your customers and make them feel special. Shiv Singh shared
The purpose of a business is to create a customer who creates customers.
Here are a few ways, we think you can do just that.
Don’t underestimate the power of “thank you”
When was the last time said thank you to you? Probably happened a few times today and do you remember the slight feeling of happiness? Well, that’s a crucial part of valuing your customer.
Express your appreciation and thank your customers for doing business with you. Make sure you follow up their purchase with a thank you in person or via email if it is an online purchase.
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Don’t forget to send an email on your customers’ birthdays. A huge part of a successful business is not always about bringing in new customers but also about keeping the existing ones.
Infographic created by Clover, a POS system company
Paying attention is crucial
Pay attention to your customers at all times. Customers often use a variety of channels to communicate with you and it is important to track every single one and be responsive. The general rule of thumb is to solve the customers’ problems within 24 – 48 hours depending on your business.
If you, have someone dedicated to responding to queries at all times, be it your customer hotline, emails, social media channels and messaging services. Also, you can also take advantage of some automated tools to respond emails, chat messages or social media messages.
Services like Zendesk and chatbots can engage your customer even when you’re not around and gather the relevant information for you to solve their problem quickly.
Feedback is essential
Steve Jobs had this to share about paying attention to your customer.
Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves
It is crucial to find out what your customers like and dislike, so you can make sure you’re closer to the former than the latter. The best way to do this is by listening to them. Often your customers can make suggestions that you don’t even consider but is the best path for your growing company and product.
Take advantage of the technology
Take advantage of personal CRM tools in order to manage your growing customer list. One thing you can do is create a VIP list of customers. You can then use them as ambassadors for the brand, by giving them special perks and benefits, thus keeping them engaged and having them become your salespeople.
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Make sure your customer always see the best side of your business
Having a presentable online and physical presence is crucial for businesses if they want to be taken seriously. Now presentable doesn’t mean sterile, but rather that it shows that you’re a brand that takes pride in its work.
So this means having a tidy service counter, trained and professional staff, as well as having your digital assets up-to-date and well designed.
This post was updated on 21 October 2020