How much time do you spend on keeping your current customers verses getting new customers?
When I look back I can tell you that I don't spend enough time keeping the customers I have. I spend hours and hours working on a new newspaper ad, putting out door hangers and signs and so on. But if I would take more time at coming up with satisfaction surveys and thank you notes I'm sure it would go a long way.

So, what do you do to keep customers?

Company newsletter, postcard reminders for service and follow up phone calls. Another good thing is to implement a customer rewards program.

What type of customer rewards do you offer Ken?

I would much rather keep an exsisting customer than constantly have to seek out (and train ) new customers. We pretty much do whatever it takes to keep our clients satisfied.

Our policy is to "exceed your promises consistantly"

Keeping folks satisfied is the key for me.

So far I'm still working solo, majority resi, move-in/outs, one contractor that spits out an occasional new home & the only advertising I have done since starting out has been through flyers & business cards placed in 3 real estate offices and at the local Gold's Gym daycare center. I've never done an ad, flyered neighborhoods, offered coupons/discounts or cold-called.

Every client I have gotten to date (began cleaning a year ago April 24th...happy almost anniversary to me!) has been from those sources and subsequent referrals from satisfied customers. So I spend ALL of my time keeping my current clients & referring realtors happy and zero time working on getting new business. The new ones just find me

Am getting ready to send out a seasonal thank you to all with some flower seeds for planting. Will let you know if that brings anything new.

suzi g

Referral rewards programs currently include $35 gift cards for Bennigans, Border's and PetCo (customer choice).

I am working out the logisitics of accumulating "Pressure Points" and working with a mall style online retailer. People can accumulate them and win anything from mosquito lamps to big screen TV's.

I'm fairly certain this will further boost my referral program and repeat business as the promise and excitement of working towards a nice price is a good motivator. Points are going to be "rewarded" for everything from additional contracted work to referring a neighbor to driving traffic to my other upcoming website ventures.

"Pressure Points" ~ I love it

I send a thank you card after each job. Each winter I send out post cards asking for work or if thay might know some one who does. It's better to keep core customers happy. A core customer keeps you in business.

we call all of our customers two month before and send out letters

sorry months before the time we did thier service the year before

We find quietly sending out gift cards works well. Every woodcare customer is a part of our maintenance program. We give the customer the option to clean their own deck each year or to have us perform the service. We send out reminders to our customers to choose either option. We provide instruction on how to perform the cleaning service. We educate the customer as to the importance of performing maintenance on their deck and how this will add value to their home. Every customer wants to save money, even those that won't complete the services themselves, but by giving them this option, allows the customer to see the integrity your company has, which will in turn bring trust between the customer and our company.

We used to leave unusual gifts on occassion, like an origami gift certificate, designer olive oil with a hand made card or refigerator magnets with a funny cleaning pun.

This was for house cleaning though (a little easier to leave gifts). I was always amazed at how much these little jestures moved people!

When you clean peoples homes you get a sense of who they are and what they may like, but I sappose being too clever could back fire!

Ciao,
Ev