I`m curious to find out what your challenges are in attempting to keep your current customers; perhaps I can help!

For me the main challenge is that of time, we have to book customers out some time 2 weeks so they forget or find some one else to do it. 

 

I have some input on this topic.  I would like to think your biggest challenge in retaining customers is also your biggest asset -- If not, then well I think you cannot be successful.

We have a unique approach and position in our profession of Information Technology.  People expect computers to break; They expect to get spam; They expect to curse their technology.   Even us "Computer Guys" expect this to happen.  This is not an excuse for the breakages to occur, but it`s a reality.

Our #1 goal, and thus our biggest challenge, is communications.  I suspect Communications is everyone`s biggest challenge.  I learned something a long time ago.  If you freely communicate to people and let them know what`s going on.....    YOU SET EXPECTATIONS  ............  Then when "stuff happens,"  they react as planned.  Technology people typically know what can happen and can communicate potential issues.

Customers expect Technology issues; but they deserve to receive good communications.  I have found it`s best to paint a Complete picture where the customer has an idea what can happen.  If the picture you paint comes true, then you don`t suprise anyone.  On the other hand, if you deliver a prettier picture, you are a hero.

In closing, the biggest challenge in retaining customers is simply good communications.

 

 

Tojealca,

It sounds like your challenge is structural. In other words, how to get customers in more quickly while they`re still really excited about buying! If you could find a way to take care of those customers within a certain time frame (as determined by you and your customer history), you wouldn`t leave so much money on the table.

It would be worth determining where the cut off point is. How many days are the customers willing to wait before they start not showing up or buying somewhere else? Once you`ve determined that, figure out a strategy for getting your customers taken care of within that time frame. Consider additonal staffing on a temporary basis when business is booming.

Good luck!

Jake,

You are absolutely correct! Communication is a huge problem in many businesses. Often, the management doesn`t realize it, however because they`re not communicating well!

Thanks for your feedback.

I worked for 22 years in overnight delivery and of course sometimes deliveries were late or fell in what we used to call "the black hole". Customers werent happy about this but they were a lot happer when we were honest with them and told
them just what we were going to do to resolve the problem. Then they even were a little bit nice to us.