How to serve well and turn a customer into a recurring one

Selling to someone who already bought is several times cheaper than winning a new customer. Even so, it is the part most people ignore.

What makes them return

1. The delivery matched what was promised.
2. Communication was clear at every step.
3. The problem, when there was one, was solved without friction.
4. Someone remembered them afterwards.

Note that only the first is about the product. The other three are about service.

Communicate before being asked

Telling the customer the order started, is in progress and completed eliminates most "any news?" messages. An informed customer does not become an anxious one.

Most complaints are not about delays: they are about not knowing what is happening.

After-sales

A message a few days later — "did everything work out?" — does three things: catches problems before they become public complaints, creates a new sales opportunity and communicates care.

When something goes wrong

1. Reply fast, even without a solution ready.
2. Acknowledge plainly.
3. State the resolution timeframe.
4. Solve it and confirm.
5. Offer something for the trouble, if appropriate.

A customer well served after a problem usually becomes more loyal than one who never had a problem at all.

Make the second purchase easy

• Keep a history of what they bought.
• Suggest the next step at the right moment.
• Offer terms for returning customers.
• Notify them about news relevant to what they use.

Ask for the testimonial

The best moment is right after a successful delivery. A simple, specific request works: "could you tell me in two lines what you thought?".

Summary

Communicate every step, follow up after the sale, solve problems fast and make the second purchase easy. Service is the only differentiator nobody copies with price.