Acquiring new clients can cost as much as five times as retaining your existing ones. That’s why it’s critical to keep your current staffing customers happy.
Consider these tips to keep your customers from straying to other providers.
Get on the same page. Set reasonable expectations up front. You can reduce customer frustration in the long term by agreeing on terms that serve their best interests and those of your company. Setting standards and meeting or exceeding them can ensure client satisfaction.
Benchmark against other firms. For example, if your competitors are available around the clock and your policy is to take calls only during business hours, consider whether you should change it. Adopt only the policies that make business sense for you. Weigh industry standards against the level of service you can realistically provide.
Don’t grow complacent. Just because your clients are not actively complaining doesn’t mean they are 100 percent satisfied with your services. Follow up with them periodically to see what they like about your service and what they would change if they could.
Encourage feedback. Create an ongoing system for clients to evaluate your service. Clients may not be comfortable telling you to your face where you are falling short. But if you create a space where they can contribute anonymously, you may get more honest responses.
Be proactive. Try to identify and correct problems before they occur. Surprising good customers by giving them extras or upgrades on occasion is a great way to build loyalty.
Ask for referrals. Do your clients offer references up eagerly, or do they seem hesitant? If they can’t recommend you willingly, you need to find out why.
Offer additional services. Make sure they are aware of the full range of your services. Are you performing executive searches for a manufacturer who doesn’t know you also offer payrolling? You are leaving money on the table and missing an opportunity to further engage them.
Increase their switching costs. The more services you provide for your customer, the more you become a trusted advisor and the harder it is for them to switch to a competitor. And if your offerings are comprehensive and well integrated, it’s to your advantage, and theirs that they remain on board.
Streamline your systems. Working with vendors who can supply staffing software and solutions to handle your administrative tasks frees you to focus on your customers and revenue-driving activities.
At Avionté, we provide solutions for staffing firms that help you manage key metrics that can be the difference between profit and loss. We make it easy to drive growth, maximize profitability and retain your best customers. To learn more about the many benefits of Avionte staffing software, contact us today.
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