Stay in Your Running Shoes: Go the Extra Mile for Customers

The saying may be cliché, but actually “going the extra mile” for a customer in any industry remains important and a key aspect for making your company memorable.  I’m sure you’ve got some ideas in your bag already, but if you’re looking to add more or gain some insight, here are five things you can do to truly let your customers know you care about their needs. So lace up your running shoes and take in these tips.

 Follow up, and follow up some more. The little things really do matter in small business, so no matter if the correspondence is regarding a major crisis or a simple compliment, return phone calls and emails promptly, always. If something they request seems unclear or you haven’t heard back in a while, send them a follow up message or give them a call. It is better to over-follow up and then give them space than to not follow up and risk wasting everyone’s time.

Every so often, provide your customers (especially regular ones) with a promotional gift like a mug, letter opener, mouse pad, or something else small that has your logo and contact information on it. (Pens are very common, but why not think outside the box a little?) Customized promotional products are easy to obtain and purchase. Another thing to do is to provide a venue for giving feedback. It can be as simple as a comments form on your site for testimonials and questions or you can do this on social media pages with status updates. Simply asking for feedback on your emails or stationary can work too.

This next one is especially important: under-promise and over-deliver. This helps you develop a reliable reputation and will ensure you don’t make promises you can’t keep.  It’s a good idea to frequently assess your customer base and get reacquainted with who is a new customer and who is no longer a customer. For those in the second category, send out some type of inquiry about why. Finally, if your business is one where people come into a physical location, greet them within 30 seconds. Even if you’re busy, a simple “Hello” will acknowledge them and you can continue talking to them when you are finished with the task at hand. Make it happen!

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