flexigroup's LIBBY MINOGUE shares four tips on how building business owners can give their customers what they want and keep them coming back for more.

Running any business can be tough, let alone dealing with the gruelling hours of the building industry. The one thing that is prevalent in the minds of all business owners is how to retain a customer. So here are some ways to give your customers a reason to keep coming back.

Show that you care

A customer is likely to return if you genuinely care about them. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of business or become impatient with that customer (you know the one) but it’s important to not let those factors get the better of you. Being an attentive and empathetic business owner is incredibly important for customer retention.

Being attentive means responding to emails in a timely manner (customers can be just as busy as you are), returning calls promptly and endeavouring to answer all questions in a positive manner - no matter how obvious the answer may be.

It is important to remain professional throughout the customer’s journey and to ensure post-sale care. In order to have returning customers, you need to care about the person after the transaction has gone through, not just while they are spending money.

Take all feedback on board

One of the most successful ways of garnering more business is by word of mouth. You want your customers to enjoy the experience so much that they tell their friends all about you and your business!

One really important way of ensuring repeat and new customers is by dealing with negative comments and feedback in a positive manner. When it comes to feedback, it is always better to think through your response first so that you are coming from a place of logic, understanding and empathy.

If a customer has a public query or concern, it is vital to use this as an opportunity to demonstrate to other potential customers that you take all feedback seriously. Think through your responses, use personable language and work with your customer to allow for the best outcome.

Give customers a reason to come back

The building job is now complete and you are finished with the client. But, that doesn’t have to be the case. What if your customers were given an idea of something else you could help them with?

You should also consider different ways to stay in touch with your customers post-job and share helpful advice, tips, special offers, and reminders of jobs and projects you can help them with, for example, seasonal work or preventative maintenance that they should get on top of.

Giving them a follow up call or personalised email is another way of not only showing your customer you care, but also reminding them of your services.

Removing pressure from the sale

It’s important to remember that customers all differ and have a variety of financial needs. Offering different payment options can often make a sale easier for customers and remove any pressure.

‘Buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) could be the answer for a customer who is looking for a way to make their money go further and sustain cashflow. BNPL provides a flexible and smooth way of processing a transaction. The client is more likely to make the purchase if they feel more at ease about their personal finances.

Just remember that when it comes to BNPL, some services have different offers depending on how expensive the item being purchased is. For example, humm has a BNPL option for purchases up to $2,000 and another BNPL option for purchases greater than $2,000 – up to $30,000. So have a think about the kinds of products and services your business offers and choose a provider that caters to those kinds of sales.

When it comes to encouraging repeat business, it’s essential to remember that it’s all about the customer’s experience. Take on feedback, provide solutions, show that you genuinely care, implement some tools to remove pressure and most of all, work with your customer. Your customer wants to feel like more than just a transaction so if you make them feel valued then they are sure to do business with you again (and get you some new customers via the grapevine!).

About the author
Libby Minogue is the Chief Revenue Officer at flexigroup, the pioneer of buy-now-pay-later in Australia, and the engine behind humm. Humm offers consumers access to responsible buy-now-pay-later for purchases with partner retailers from $1-$30,000. The platform is split into two bands titled ‘Little Things’ (up to $2,000) and ‘Big Things’ (up to $30,000). Humm is offered in over 15,000 retailers across Australia, including Myer, IKEA, and Just Group. https://shophumm.com.au