Keep customers happy by under promising and over delivering. For example, if a customer orders products that normally take three days to deliver, you might quote a five-day delivery, but tell the customer that you will contact them if the goods arrive sooner. Another example would be to quote or estimate more accurately, so that your final price is the same or less than the quote. This is far better than the all too common practice of exceeding the original quote or estimate that most customers find annoying and unacceptable.

          Also think of ways in which you can exceed the customer’s expectations. Simple thoughtfulness - reflecting on what would be useful to the customer - leads to many successful tactics. A paint and panel shop, for instance, supplies each customer whose car has been re-sprayed with a small can of touch-up paint (complete with a brush attached to the inside of the lid) to cater for future small abrasions or stone chips in the paintwork. This gesture costs the shop very little since the paint is simply left over from the job, but the goodwill gained from the customer is significant.

          Make sure that staff keep customers informed if promises can’t be met. For example, if some mishap has delayed an order, ring up the customer as soon as you know of this. Try to compensate in some way for the lateness: for instance, through a free delivery or some extra product or service. Think of something exceptional that will delight the customer. If there is a small cost involved, weigh this against the customer’s lifetime value.

          Ask your staff to perform at least one act of kindness a day, such as opening the door for a customer, or carrying heavy parcels to cars. Being prepared to ‘walk the extra mile’ can pay you real dividends. For example, asking a staff member who lives close to a customer to make an urgent delivery on the way home, or to check that an installation has gone smoothly, can generate very positive word of mouth reports about your business.

          Give unexpected gifts or rewards to customers. For example, if you’ve sold a customer a laser printer, you could send a free toner cartridge refill after three months with an appropriate note: “You’re probably close to running out of toner, so we’re sending you this first free refill with our compliments to thank you for doing business with us.”

          One businessperson sends two free tickets to sporting matches to selected customers, with a note thanking them for their support. The owner of a hardware store engages Boy Scouts one Saturday a month to wash the cars of selected customers who pull into his premises for supplies. These ‘out of the blue’ rewards can have a powerful impact on building customer loyalty and goodwill.

          Send a thank-you letter within two days of the customer buying from you. If at all possible, send a note the next day. It only has to be a hand written note on a standard card. Other variations include sending a cartoon with your caricature to say thank you, or even a cartoon card (depending on the customer and how much they have spent).

          If you can identify a small number of highly loyal customers, then don’t simply take them for granted. Continue to acknowledge their custom with simple ideas like sending birthday and Christmas cards to them.

          Try to keep in contact with customers at least once every 90 days. Send a regular newsletter (either by conventional post or email) to your customers. Add value to the newsletter by including tips that will help them improve their businesses or their lives, as well as ideas relating to your industry. You can also direct them to free reports they can download off your website. This will encourage them to visit your website again and be exposed to the new products or specials it might feature. Inform them about what is happening in your industry, community or country. Keep the sales side low-key so they look forward to reading the newsletter and don’t see it as simply another sales pitch.

          If your customers spend lots of money, and the profit per item is large, then send them special reports, books, cassettes or videos that are relevant and will help them build their businesses or improve their lives. If you sell to other businesses, you could send them copies of cassettes on selling or marketing, or motivation. An alternative for especially good customers is a video on their interests. Find out from the survey you sent them what sports they follow, and then send them the appropriate videotape of rugby’s greatest tries, soccer’s best goals, highlights of the netball series or whatever. Make sure to stick your business name on the video.

          Reward customer loyalty by running a customer-only competition or contest. Make entry free and automatic for existing customers and publicize the results in your newsletter, promotional aterial and website.