With Valentine’s Day upon us this week, we’re thinking about all the ways you can share the love to win repeat business from your loyal customers.
We know that the customer comes first, but how do we really make our customers – especially repeat customers – feel valued? More importantly, does going above and beyond for your loyal customers make business sense? Without the ‘tipping mentality’ of other countries, Australian businesses have a bit to learn when in comes to investing time in improving their staff’s customer care and service.
We’re going to share a few insider tips and ideas that just might re-ignite your business’ drive to improve customer care. By implementing some of these tips, we’re sure you’ll start to feel the love from that all-important repeat customer.
It’s all in the detail
For some customers, the interaction they have with a barista or bartender might be a real spark of joy in their day. Remembering the names of your regulars is a sure-fire way to build rapport and loyalty. Remembering their order and their unique quirks is the next step. Try to recognise and reward the star staff members who make your customers feel special. They’re the staff members who will help your business grow.
Is your business prominent online with review sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor? One way of sharing the love online is to monitor your reviews, both positive and negative. Make sure to thank those customers who have taken the time to comment favourably about their experience. Equally, try to address the negative comments with empathy and concern.
Kindness counts
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and think about how you’d like to feel as a visitor to your venue. A great hospitality professional is someone with a great deal of intuition. They won’t ask the single diner if he’s waiting for someone. They won’t glare disapprovingly at the mum with the crying child. They don’t judge a customer’s lack of wine knowledge. They definitely do not interrupt a business or intimate conversation at the table.
We all come with a different set of experiences and backgrounds. To help your team thrive, it’s worth telling new staff members your high expectations for customer care at the time they start, or at the interview stage. Make time to try some role-playing scenarios, or include some tips in your induction paperwork to set yourself up for customer service success.
Smile and have fun!
Smiling is infectious in the best possible way. Without becoming too robotic, a great hospitality professional knows the power of employing a smile in their customer service interactions. When you have fun at work (within reason!) this creates a high-energy atmosphere that your customers will be drawn to time and time again.
Give your staff the best chance to feel fantastic with Urbanbar’s range of stylish, practical and comfortable uniforms. By letting your staff or managers select uniforms they love to wear, they’ll be more in command of their appearance and presentation. You’ll notice them stand taller and radiate confidence – a great look for your business!
Remember that hospitality and customer service always comes back to making people feel good. If you can bring happiness to your customers regularly, you’ll be able to build your repeat customer base, build a strong reputation and strengthen your business for the long-term.
