Attracting new customers is important, but it’s not the only thing that matters from a business development perspective. With so much competition for the dollars that consumers have available and are willing to spend, once you get a customer it’s important to make sure you are taking proactive steps to keep him or her coming back.

Since keeping the customers that you have is an important key to success in the modern business world, figuring out how to encourage customer loyalty is something that marketing professionals need to focus on. There are many options for customer loyalty programs, from simple punch cards to modern high-tech loyalty rewards technology options like swipe cards and automatic points earnings programs that provide customers with coupons and special offers based on number of visits or dollar amounts spent.

No matter what kind of business you have, whether it is product or service oriented, you cannot afford to overlook the importance of devising an effective strategy to encourage your valued customers to keep coming back to you time and time again. While there is, of course, no substitute for delivering what you promise, when you promise it, at an affordable price, that’s not always enough to keep your customers coming back. Look beyond just making sure your customers are satisfied with your company to finding a way to ensure that they become truly loyal.

Quick – name a species of snake. Chances are that the first species names that came to mind were venomous snakes rather than harmless snakes. People tend to remember negative information because, like remembering what venomous snakes look like, this information keeps them from getting hurt. This is the reason why false negative business reviews spread like wildfire while good reviews get buried.

The good news is that there are three basic steps a hospitality business owner can take to fix a tarnished online reputation. Businesses can hire hospitality business reputation management experts or use their own employees to monitor online information, taking positive actions against complaints and cultivate new guests.

Monitoring Online Information 

Become a member of leading hotel and travel review websites like Tripadvisor.com so you can monitor what’s being said about your business. Many travel websites are free to join. Make sure you study the Terms and Conditions of each website so you do not accidentally violate the terms and get banned. For example, some sites will allow links in your signature while others frown on this practice.

Another way of monitoring your latest online reputation is to sign up for news alerts about your business with Google or your favorite search engine. Whenever your business name pops up on social media, blogs or review sites, an email and link to the content is sent to your email inbox.

Taking Positive Action 

When you find a negative review, resist the urge to threaten legal action. This makes it look as if you have something to hide. Read the review carefully and dispassionately. If it’s a genuinely constructive piece of criticism, thank the reviewer for bringing this issue to your attention and offer restitution if applicable.

Ignore any reviews that are merely expletive-laced rants. Bring these rants to the attention of the webmaster as profanity is often a breach of the Terms and Conditions. People who continually post rants are called “trolls” and thrive on attention.

Cultivating New Guests 

Take advantage of free social media websites like Facebook and Twitter to place positive content about your hospitality business online. Update information regularly so it will place higher on Google and other search engines. Place special offers for your business on these websites.

Invest in a domain name for your business website. Showcase your business’s amenities, how long it’s been in business, any awards earned and any customer testimonials. Allow customers to comment on your website, but make sure that only customers with a valid email address are allowed to post.

Tough Economic Times

Create Innovative Customer Service Opportunities

Customer Service Courses that recognize the creative opportunities that exist in a troubled economy can provide untold benefits for companies willing to challenge their old CS paradigm.  If a company is unable to raise prices, customer service becomes a natural source for keeping customers who otherwise could be lost.  How?  By employing innovative customer service techniques that go beyond the traditional delivery of good customer care and increase value to the customer.

Brainstorming

One of the oldest tools both sales and customer service managers use to retain current customers and improve sales opportunities for new ones is to gather staff and brainstorm.  The benefits are several.  First, customer service courses focusing on vigorous employee improvement recognize that it improves staff morale.  Improved staff morale has, of course, a positive trickle-down effect on customers.  Second, brainstorming often unearths valuable suggestions that a company’s customers have asked for but might otherwise be unknown during better times.  Third, brainstorming for creative ideas that keep customers happy can lead to improving overall customer satisfaction.  And fourth, it can often reduce costs and even increase revenue.

A Few Examples

New ways of delivering excellent customer service when economic times are tough can actually lead to a more efficient operation and even attract new customers.

• Exclusive shopping opportunities—Provide advance sales opportunities for select clients that are closed to the general public.  This simple procedure incurs little increased expense and can retain existing customers and even attract new customers.  It can be done either in ‘brick and mortar’ stores, offering close-store specials, or online by providing customers with passwords to shop early and save money.
• Virgin America challenge—Most U.S. air carriers do not offer internet access during their flights.  Virgin America is the exception until a few other carriers began experimenting with free in-flight internet access as times got difficult for the airline industry.  Southwest Airlines is one such carrier that has offered this service on select flights as a way to both keep and attract customers.
• Call Center bonanzas for customers—some customer care call centers have incorporated the old radio show technique, providing specials for call-in customers.  Information or announcements can be posted on a company’s website or through e-blasts that announce contests such as “Be the 3^rd caller describing your most satisfied experience or favorite product with our company and win X, or get X percent off your purchase.”
• Restaurants cash-only days at 10% off—this can include 10% off meal price for credit-card only days, check-only days and reservations-only days as a way to appeal to customer’s desire for savings.

The above examples are just a small sampling of ways your company can keep customers happy during rough economy patches, while providing exceptional customer service in the process.  Customer service courses that incorporate creative solutions to sales challenges train staff to become partners in ensuring the health of the company in which they work, not to mention make for happier employees in the process.

For additional information about customer service courses, please visit www.impactlearning.com for further details.

As a small business owner, it’s essential that you take steps to make sure that your customers are receiving the highest possible levels of customer service from every member of your staff. It’s up to you to make sure that your employees have the tools they need to be successful and that you are proactive in hiring individuals who have service-oriented personalities. A few tips to keep in mind when you want to make sure that your company’s customer service is as outstanding as it should be include:

Customer Service Training

Provide all of your employees with customer service training on an ongoing basis. Consistent reminders about what separates exceptional service from service that is mediocre or worse can be a great way to help keep employees focused on service quality. Provide periodic customer service training seminars for your team members, but also make a point of identifying teachable moments that occur on a day-to-day basis. Praise employees when you see them exhibiting outstanding customer service and work with employees individually when you identify areas where improvement might be needed.

Utilize CRM Software

Using a quality CRM software program appropriately is a great way to keep critical customer data in a centralized location so that everyone can have access to records of customer communication and contact details. Using a quality CRM software program is a great way to make sure that your employees have access to all of the information that they need to provide the best possible service to your customers, and to keep your customers from having to repeat the same thing over and over every time they make contact with a representative of your company.

As a professional event planner, you’ll likely spend some time helping your clients select wedding decorations for the ceremony itself as well as for the reception. Here are a few tips for helping your clients choose attractive decorations that will enhance their special day – and the pictures – and that they will be sure to cherish.

Two Important Considerations Before Choosing decorations

• Color Coordinate – Encourage clients to select wedding colors and a general theme before they begin narrowing down decoration ideas so you can be certain that everything coordinates.
• Consider Room Size – Knowing the venue for the ceremony and the reception is also critical to choosing the right decorations, as it’s the best way to be sure that you’re selecting items that are the right scale.