In our last blog, we highlighted some effective ways to make your company the type that lures customers away from its competitors. Don’t think for a second, however, that other companies can’t do the same thing! As important as it is for you to grow your customer base, you must find ways to retain the customer base you already have.
In fact, most industry experts agree that focusing on your current customers is a top priority. Making sure that your current customers are happy so that they’re never encouraged to make switches from your company to any others is a key ingredient to your brand’s overall success. It all starts with addressing the “switch triggers”.
What are switch triggers?
As Kevin Kerridge explains on Inc.com, switch triggers are the various reasons why customers may choose to jump ship from one brand to another. Understanding the reasons that are most applicable to your business and the customers you serve is of paramount importance. Kerridge lists a number of what he considers to be the most common of all switch triggers.
He begins with “budget”. Not surprisingly, pricing has a huge impact on customer decisions. If you’re charging prices that are noticeably higher than what your competitors charge for the same service, you shouldn’t be too surprised when your customers start leaving. At MeloTel, we keep a keen eye on costs and keep in mind the budgets of our clients. We’re proud of the fact that our cloud-hosted services are known for providing great value.
Speaking of value, Kerridge notes that it stands as another major switch trigger. “Your customer may not see the return on their investment in your product,” he writes. As far as we’re concerned, value comes by way of providing great services at great prices BUT also incorporates the interactions had by your company’s representatives and its customers.
The importance of customer service cannot be stressed enough.
As assumed, service is also listed by Kerridge as another switch trigger. “If you have an incident in which a customer feels you have not done right by them, you have a trust issue and you risk losing that business,” he informs, “Conversely, if your competitor cannot be relied upon by their customers, there’s an opportunity for you to step in.”
Neglect is next up on the list. Do you pay attention to your customers? Have you been able to predict their needs before they come to you with their problems? Do you check in on your customers on a regular basis? Or…do you take them for granted and simply assume they’ll come calling when they are in need of what you provide? If you stop paying attention to your customers, they are more likely to stop paying attention to you.
New leadership rounds out Kerridge’s list of switch triggers. “Especially in business-to-business transactions, there is a risk of losing a customer if a new person takes over the account,” he notes.
Don’t let other companies swipe your customers!
Treat them right and they’ll treat you with their loyalty. This is a MeloTel must. If you’re thinking of making a switch from your current telecom provider, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
