Customers reward program

[kingstownquad]

I wanted to cement the new customers I got this year. I have about 35 new customers and i wanted to do something to help with loyalty. What have you done to keep the customers happy besides good service? I was thinking of a drawing for a dinner at a resraunt. or giving each a couple flowers from walmart. I think they have small treys for as little as 1.99.
any help or thought appreciated
ted

[Badgerz]

I wouldn't do the drawing. I'd rather do something that benefits all of them. Everyone that doesn't win will just think it was rigged.

[pow]

Be dependable and do a good job. That's what you were hired for. They really won't care that you bought them flowers if you don't deliver on your service. Does walmart give you flowers when you come by to keep you as a customer?

[tycoon]

i'll tell you something you could do. Last christmas I was thinking of doing something similar. Anyway I went to walmart. Bought some of those sliced bark pieces you buy in the arts and crafts department. I bought about 12 of them, 3.99/piece. I bought some tshirt transfers, printed a mirror image of my logo which is a four seasons type logo. btw print it in black and white(looks more rustic than colors on a piece of wood). Then I took an iron to the printed paper and the bark. It looks great, i gave them to some of my more personal customers(one's that I have simply because I go to college). Anyway, they really like it, and if you want to add another touch you could put Merry Christmas or something like that on the back of it. Some sort of tag line.
Good luck

[Woody]

There is hardly any such thing as customer loyalty anymore.

Do a top-notch job. You will retain MOST of them.

Personally, I think any kind of a "Customer Reward" is a waste of money, and further cheapens the industry. You are BETTER OFF saving that money and putting it towards advertising, which is the only sure-fire solution to having customers. There is NO WAY to guarantee that you will retain customers.

You need to be VERY careful of not falling into that whole bullcrap "my customers are my FRIENDS" way of thinking!! You'll find out REAL FAST that those who you were real friendly to, gave free services to (like trimming a bush), and thought were your LOYAL customers will be the first ones to bend you over and stick it in next season!

Treat your customers like customers. Nothing more, and nothing less.

[Seascape]

I find just talking to them is what they want. I have a few repeats that can talk my head off. I spent 6 hrs yesterday just driving around stoppin in. Than spent 4 hrs today doing the same thing,,,,,,,, just kickin it. I wont know for sure until i break it all down and detail it but i suspect ive turned up 40k in mulch and misc that is ready to roll as soon as i can do it. I go out tomorrow and talk some more,,probally 5 more hrs? Some of these people been blowing up my phone!

It works so well for me that i make about $200-$250 bucks an hr while im doing it. This time of year can be alot more.

If you get them to like you theyll stick around. How many times when you buy something does the person selling it to you actually talk to you? Or are they in "Consumer Alert" mode the entire time? Make sure they know your first name and the range of services you offer. And what yer all about.

They may look at you weird the first time you do it but after that they pick right up.

[kingstownquad]

Thanks everyone. I will stay away from the freebies. I will just keep working on advertising and selling my good services.
ted

[kingstownquad]

thanks I will spend the money on advertising for the fall. Thanks all!

[MASTERMOWER]

There is hardly any such thing as customer loyalty anymore.

Do a top-notch job. You will retain MOST of them.

Personally, I think any kind of a "Customer Reward" is a waste of money, and further cheapens the industry. You are BETTER OFF saving that money and putting it towards advertising, which is the only sure-fire solution to having customers. There is NO WAY to guarantee that you will retain customers.

You need to be VERY careful of not falling into that whole bullcrap "my customers are my FRIENDS" way of thinking!! You'll find out REAL FAST that those who you were real friendly to, gave free services to (like trimming a bush), and thought were your LOYAL customers will be the first ones to bend you over and stick it in next season!

Treat your customers like customers. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Woody, just curious on your thoughts of compensating current clients for referrals they make..?? This approach is a 'customer reward' yet at the same time....in a way.....an advertising expense.

[Woody]

I haven't really had anyone ask for a "finders fee", and I don't mention offering one. Honestly, other professions don't hand out referral fees, except maybe used car dealers, and look at the public perception of them (scummy). I think it cheapens the industry.

If you think it will help get you where you need to be, then do it. I'm with Seascape though... Just maintaining a dialog with your customers will go a long way.

[MES]

First, I kind of disagree with Woody, I have customers that are loyal. The like our prices, our service and wouldn't use anyone else. I know because they stuck with us even though I had a pathetic employee that was doing less than adequate service.
Second, I agree with Seascape, talking with the customers is important. We have a lot of widows, that can't care for their yard. I spent a half-hour talking with one today even though I needed to get back on the road. That meant a lot to her and she has made referrals.
Third, I find that a little something around the holidays for my loyal customers that give referrals is really appreciated. I do use it as a time to advertise as well. This year is was a nice pen set with our logo on it.

Just my thoughts on the topic. Do what you can to get your name out there, do a great job at a reasonable price and you will get customers and keep them.

[rustyt22]

The major thing you have to think of is that it is much cheaper to keep your current customers than to replace them. That doesnt mean spend a ton trying to keep them, but it does mean doing what you have to do. Whether its visiting as seascape talked about, christmas cards, annuals, referral discounts, etc. Ive found that my customers like me pretty well for they way I visit with them, but didnt really push my company toward other people until I started offering referral discounts, asking for referrals, and putting that famous quote on my invoices. (The quote says something like "The greatest compliment you can give us is referring our services to your friends.")

I learned this the hard way, as we started doing irrigation repairs for people and noticed their lawns looked horrible from their maintenance crew (that didnt do irrigation work, which is why the customer called us). I would visit and talk to them about how their lawn deserved better, and that (in one case where a guy was getting ripped off) we could even do a better job for less money. The customers just said that the boy was just getting started, had bought them thank you gifts, and vistited with them often, and they couldnt even think of firing him. This wasnt one person, this was about 5 in one neighborhood! That showed me that doing a wonderful job isnt always the only way to keep customers. I could also keep more of them by getting friendly with them, sending Christmas cards, calling to see how theyre doing and so on. I then started thinking about how many customers I got becuase they "never could get a hold of their previous lawn company," which equates to no customer relations, no returned calls, no communication, etc. Guys who just mow the lawn and send the bill are losing accounts pretty often around here, even if they are doing a decent job.

Basically what Im saying is, only you can draw a line between good customer service and wasting time and money for stupid gifts. Some customers will neer be loyal, even if they were blood family and you bought them a house. Another bid at a dollar or 2 lower, and youve lost them. Others, you could just wave once and they're a customer for life. Charge them twice as much as what it's worth, and theyre still yours for that one wave to say "hi." It's just your job to decide where you draw the line for focus on customer retention in your business.

[Stephen M.]

You all make excellent points. Customers want service and the reason many of mine return year after year is because they recognize that we give value to their spent dollars even though we are not inexpensive. 99% of my customers comment on "how nice and polite" my employees are. A few forward generous tips around the year end holidays.

I visit properties at least 1-2 times per quarter, some more often since I do the weed control. I send holiday greetings and this year I sent a New Years newsletter.

I don't go for the gimmicks to "reward" customer loyalty; I think most of my customers view them the way I view the "customer loyalty" gimmicks of my credit cards--I/we don't use them unless they are airline miles or hotel nights.

I think that most of you who give a "loyalty gimmick" will find that the only people who want to cash in are the cheap people; at least that has been my experience.