4 more tips to keep clients for life

Ask your clients to rate their satisfaction with your service. Did they give you wonderful reviews?

The best salespeople and the best companies implement strategies to acquire clients and to keep them for life. Your goal must be to develop long-term client relationships and then hold on to them in the face of ever more aggressive competition.

Here are four more of my favorite tips, so you can increase client satisfaction and keep them for life.

5) Ask the “ultimate question”

Fred Reichheld, of Bain & Company, studied the elements of excellent customer service for many years before finally concluding that there was one single question that was more indicative of customer satisfaction and referral business than any other question.

He called it the “ultimate question”:

“Based on your experience with us, would you recommend us to others?”

The willingness of a customer to recommend you to others is the highest level of customer satisfaction. If you have a good relationship with people who aren’t your clients, very often they will like and trust you so much that they will recommend you to others, even if they don’t become your clients themselves.

6) Always ask for a review

At the end of the sales conversation, you can ask this question:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, would you recommend us to others?”

Of course, your goal is to get a 10. When your customers give you a 10:

• They will become a “raving fan.”

• They will become a customer and brand advocate.

• They will tell all of their friends to buy from you as well.

But, what if you receive a grade of less than 10 – say a seven or eight?

You say, “Thank you for your answer,” then immediately ask, “What would would we have to do to earn a 10 from you next time?”