Strategies for Adding Value and Creating
Customer Loyalty

Today's customers are demanding, and their expectations are furiously escalating. Everyone wants value, and they want it now! They want convenience, and they want their needs and requirements met. You don't have to look very far to hear what customers are saying “I want my Dell Computer with Windows XP and a Zip Drive , and I want lifetime customer service with it,” or “I want my Honda with navy leather seats, and I want to be treated like royalty when I come in for my 30,000 mile tune-up.” Adding value is key to business success, and these ten strategies will make your customers love you and will keep them coming back for more.

(1) Ask your clients what they value.

Value is often in the eye of the beholder. If your customers say they don't value price, and they continue to buy a lower priced item from your competitor, you cannot ignore this fact. If people say they value good service, and your service is stellar, and they are still not buying from you, the big question is WHY? It is important to perform a needs analysis to clearly determine the pains and challenges of your target market. A survey tool such as AdvancedSurvey.com can provide you with quick answers to questions such as “What is the thing in life that is your biggest challenge right now?” or “If you could change one thing about your business right now, what would you change?” If the majority of people say “A lack of money,” you know that price is going to be a determining factor in their buying decisions. If they say “A lack of time,” then providing quick service will be of paramount importance to your company. If they say “In my business, I would improve my customer service,” then it is your job to deliver a way to improve customer service. Go deep with your needs analysis, and then quickly deliver a solution to your clients' most pressing needs. Recommended survey tools include www.advancedsurvey.com and www.zoomerang.com .

(2) Personalize the relationship.

Your relationship with your clients is more than just a sale. It is building a connection with someone who has trusted you enough to buy from you. This relationship cannot be taken for granted. Greet your customers with enthusiasm, charm, energy, an optimistic attitude, and be LIKABLE. People do business with people they like. They don't do business with people who are nasty and rude.

Take thorough notes about the lives of your clients. Make a note not only their birthdays and special occasions but the birthdays and special occasions of their spouses, children, parents, and pets (yes…their pets) and make sure to contact them on these days of celebration. Start out each conversation with the question “How is your son/wife/partner/mother?” or “Tell me about your week-end. What did you do that was great for you?” A key question to constantly ask yourself is “How can I make my customers happy?” The answer: Be real. Be human. Be connected. Be curious. Be genuinely interested. It works!

(3) Use assessments to create an emotional bond.

Assessments have been used for years as a tool for developing people in organizations. By understanding behavior differences, organizations can align employee's values and motivations with the company's mission. This same approach can be used with your clients and customers. With a tool such as Assessment Generator, you can create custom assessments which can create an emotional connection with your buyers while looking closely at how your customers motivations align with your mission. As an example, if you are a Certified Financial Planner, you could build an assessment by the title of “Assess Your Family Wealth,” or you are a Skin Care Consultant, and you build a “How Young is Your Skin?” assessment. Both titles create an emotional pull of family wealth and the subject of aging. Once the assessments have been completed, look for trends in responses. Are most baby-boomers concerned about the future financial wealth (or health) of their families? If so, provide a program or package on solving this dilemma. Are most women concerned about sun damage? Provide a month spa package which includes instruction and articles on the proper use of sunscreen and how to avoid over exposure to the sun. To create assessments online: www.AssessmentGenerator.com .

(4) Provide a “free gifts” offering upon purchase.

This is one of the oldest yet most successful marketing techniques in the history of the world of business. People LOVE free stuff! Customers usually will flock to your business if they know they will receive a gift, an offering, or something extra. The trick here is to add ongoing value to the lives of others. The majority of the time, people will place value on something financial, emotional, or functional. Over ten years ago, an insurance company sent me a jar opener as a “free gift,” which I did not think was valuable, but it has saved me a great deal of time and energy in the kitchen. I have used it for ten years, and if someone takes my jar opener, I have a tendency to get “testy.” I have come to rely on the jar opener in my every day chores in the kitchen, and I still remember to this day who gave it to me…The Insurance Company. The gift was functional, and I did not even know I needed it, but now that I have it, I can't live without it!

(5) Provide a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page backed up by a special report or article.

With your FAQ page, you can not only answer questions which are often asked, you can add value in process.

Example: You are a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist, and a frequently asked question is “How quickly will I lose weight?” Rather than simply say “I don't know” or “That depends on how closely you follow the diet” or “Your success depends on both your diet and your exercise,” answer the question by providing a paragraph explaining your answer and backing it up with a special report authored by you. An example of a special report might be “The 10 Habits that Can Kill Your Chances of Losing Weight.” Not only have you answered the question, you have added value in a way which demonstrates your expertise.

(6)Package and present your materials with professionalism and elegance.

The more professional and attractive your packaging, the more the perceived value of your products and services will be. This packaging not only includes the presentation of your products but includes the look and feel of your website, business cards, stationery, your physical office, and the way you dress and present yourself to others. If people see beauty, elegance, confidence, and professionalism, they will immediately feel as if the experience they are buying is one of rich value.

(7) Be an information broker.

Some people call this an information maven. I call it being masterful at what you do, staying current in your industry, and being able to answer any and all questions as they come your way. I recommend that you go one step further by providing a resource library and an information hotline for your clients and customers. There is nothing more attractive than a person who is in the “know.” This resource library can include magazines (both hard copy and online articles,) books, great websites, audios, CDs, and anything which can provide your customers with ready access to information. It is best to include a wide variety of resources, including access to information on food, clothing, travel, health, decorating, pets, and self improvement. The more diverse you are, the more you will appeal to a wide variety of people, which is quite attractive and makes you much more interesting.

(8) Share your network.

In a world of resource constraints and intense competition, business owners and organizations of today are employing a variety of cooperative relationships to achieve their goals domestically and internationally. Through the power of shared networks, it is possible to grow a business more quickly and at a much lower cost and risk. By sharing your network with your clients, you offer them a chance for their business to grow exponentially, which is a huge value added proposition.

(9) Send your clients referrals.

What would your business be like if your customers were your walking billboards, driving hundreds of customers your way every day? Sounds great, right? You bet it does! One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to first send your clients business. That's right…send them business first! It is probably the best value added service possible, and it models the process of sending referrals. In order to get referrals, you must first be willing to give. It's that simple.

(10) Custom build it! Quickly!

Customers of today want products and services that meet their unique needs and requirements, and as a business owner, it is important to know how to deliver custom built products and services quickly (without sacrificing quality.) Customers also see speed as valuable, which can mean receiving a document by overnight delivery, delivering a proposal within hours of its request, or bringing a new fashion or piece of furniture to store shelves within 7-10 days of its design. People all over the world are custom building products or services to create a competitive advantage, and it's time for you to do the same. Be smart, be quick, be hip, and you'll win the value game.

(11) Use these magical words: “How can I help?” and “Yes, we can do that.”

The last thing that people want to hear is “We can't do that,” or “That's not my job,” or “That is against our policy.” The best way to approach customer service is to create multiple solutions to each and every challenge/request and deliver the “best” responses for each request. You may not be able to fulfill the request. If this is the case, refer the customer to someone who can answer the question. The bottom line: Fulfill the customer's need no matter what.

(12) Spend 30 minutes each day talking to two existing customers.

It is ten times harder to acquire a new client than it is to service an existing client. The best way to keep your current clients happy is to spend time with them. Ask them what they like, what they value, what they don't have that they want, and how they feel you can improve your customer service. Chick-fil-A's president, Dan Cathy spends at least one day each year behind the restaurant counter and camps out overnight with customers before store openings. His leadership and customer serviced focus is what has made this company thrive, and he sends the message to his customers that he truly cares.

(13) Make a wait enjoyable

If a customer has to wait, offer a cup of hot coffee, latte, or a glass of sparkling water, a comfortable chair, and a choice of current magazines. (Make sure to update your magazines frequently.) Every ten minutes, have a customer service representative update the customer on the status of their wait.

(14) Send a “Little Diamond in a Box.”

This is a figurative term for an elegant gift that you can send your clients on special occasions or days which are memorable for you both. This gift should be a “surprise” and should create a sense of elegance and finesse. A beautifully wrapped CD of classical jazz music or a great letter opener in an elegant box are examples. Be creative and think “little diamond in a box.”

(15) Provide a customer benefits package that is unbeatable

Offering customer benefits is a wonderful value added service which will keep you and your business in the minds and hearts of your customers. A great way to build a benefits package is to form alliances with strategic partners who also work with your target market. Example: You are a tourist company, and you partner with a golf club to offer a complimentary round of golf. The best perks include travel coupons, car rentals, restaurant freebies, and health related perks.

(16) Hire a mystery shopper

Studies show that 69% of all customers will leave a business due to poor customer service. By hiring your own mystery shopper, you will be able to have someone scout out your business anonymously and provide you with solid feedback on what is strong about your business and what is missing. For more information, visit www.mysteryshop.org . You can also hire mystery shoppers to lurke in the background of your teleclasses who are willing to provide you with constructive feedback around your class. Be bold, be brave, and take the heat. It can take you miles with your presentation skills.

(17) Kill “stupid rules”

“Stupid rules” are rules, policies, or procedures that get in the way of you or your employees' ability to provide stellar customer service or which strain communication between departments. These boundaries need to be found and eliminated from your business. Encourage employees to gather these findings, and meet frequently to discuss how to change the rule so that it does not affect your customer.

(18) Provide a concierge service.

By adding a concierge service, you can provide added value to your customers "on the spot." Support your clients by making lunch or dinner reservations, making an appointment for a hair cut, providing a list of local attractions, or helping the customer find the one special item that is not offered by your business.

(19) Provide a voice mail "Tip of the Day."

Make the most of voice mail and answering machines by posting a message that says "WOW!" Include a "tip of the day" on your message tape, which can prove to be highly entertaining and educational to callers, as well as a credibility and rapport builder for you.

(20) Dazzle the kids!

Dazzle the kids and keep them happy while the parents do business by providing a highly creative "kids corner." Stack this area with games, coloring books, toys, and entertainment. During peak business hours, hire a magician, storyteller, musician, or balloon artist to provide a high level of interaction and pure FUN...will keep everyone happy and "coming back for more."

(21) Increase your visibility and your availability

People want you to be available. Customers want to know that they can reach you when there is a problem or a concern with their product or service. They are tired of answering machines and automated voice mail. Provide multiple ways for customers to reach you, including business phone, home phone, fax, e-mail, and cell phone.

(22) Under-promise and over-deliver

Exceed people's expectations consistently and with confidence. The key here is to promise far less than you know you can deliver, and then double what you said you would give. Promise less than the client or recipient is asking you to; reduce their expectations whenever possible -- it will give you more maneuvering room. The other reason to under-promise is that it gives you the freedom to deliver something different (not just more) than perhaps either you or the client was expecting. It gives you the room to create and invent, which may serve the client better than what they had even considered possible at the outset. Remember, clients don't usually know what they really want, so don't let yourself get too tightly boxed in at the beginning. That said, DO give them what they paid you for, and then give them even more .

(23) Eliminate “nitpicking.”

If you are charging nickels and dimes for added extras such as an additional ten minutes on the phone or for each document you send a client, you will be viewed as "cheap," and this will leave a bad taste in the mouths of your clients. Provide added value without a charge, and watch as other customers walk in your door.

(24) Post newspaper/magazine articles about your clients' achievements in your establishment.

People love to be acknowledged for their wins. Posting current events about your clients and being proud of their accomplishments can go a very long way with creating raving fan customers. (A classic picture frame will add an elegant touch.)

(25) Invite your champion clients to serve on your Board of Directors and to be the first to test a new product or service.

People love to be the first to know about a new product or service, and they are honored when asked to serve as an ambassador for your company. Your clients will add wisdom and will know that you value their judgment. Your customers will have insight about what the public wants, which will save you energy and valuable time.

(26) Provide ongoing customer service training.

It is not uncommon to find employees and professionals who do not know how to deliver customer service. Everyone in your business should be dedicated to providing the best customer service possible, and this process begins with a strong education. Dedicate one day each month to customer service training, and allow every person on your staff to contribute to ideas on how to improve customer service so that it is truly magnetic.

(27) Listen, talk quietly, validate, soothe.

The last thing that you want is an angry customer, but angry customers are a part of being a business owner. When a customer comes to you with anger and biting remarks, DON'T BITE BACK! Examine what may be underneath the anger. Once your customer has calmed down, you can resolve the problem and thus the root emotion. When you do this, your customer becomes bonded to you in ways you won't believe. Their confidence in you triples, their trust in you solidifies, and your future with them is secure. Furthermore, they will sing your praises forever. All it takes is a little understanding and you can turn an angry client into a customer forever. 

(28) Admit you made a mistake, apologize, and make it right!

Most people can accept your mistakes, provided they are treated with respect afterwards. In each negative situation, an apology can quickly remedy the problem. Each person who is a part of your business must treat both customers and employees with respect if she expects her team to take care of the customers. Companies that treat customers with respect will always thrive, as long as they provide a good product or service at a competitive price.

(29) Write and strictly enforce a strong customer service policy.

Your customers should be your number one priority. Remember: You would not have a job without them! Your business must have crystal clear guidelines on how to effectively please your customers. You want raving fan and loyal customers, so make sure you cover touch points such as: providing as much information as possible, extending courtesy and respect, admitting mistakes, telephone etiquette, and how to add value for the sheer joy of it. The Ritz Carlton is known for its 5-star service, and they make their credo known to the public:

THE CREDO : “The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care
and comfort of our guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest
personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet
refined ambience. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.” Follow their example. It works!

(30) Learn from the leaders of your industry:

One thing a successful company has a hard time doing is hiding their success. And why would they? They want the whole world to know they are successful, especially their clients and potential clients. This offers smaller struggling companies a chance to take a good hard look at and learn from these success stories. If you can find a successful company in your industry, you have a chance right there in front of you to study a perfect example of what you can do to better your company. What is their philosophy of the client and their methods for serving and maintaining them? What techniques do they use to keep their clients satisfied? Use their model as a starting point, and adapt it to your specific needs.