Do you have happy customers?

Leo called last week asking if I could help him with an upcoming presentation to the sellers at his group regarding customer attrition. Not that this group has a problem with attrition, but they want to be proactive to make sure their customer churn was not out of line.

When I started in sales I was told to plan for 20-25% customer attrition each year. That sounded really high to me. Why would they cancel, I wondered? Why would they stop doing business with me? Couldn’t I make them happy enough to want to keep doing business with me?

Here’s what I shared with Leo, and maybe you’ll find some value in it as well.

It’s no secret that happy customers buy more and renew more easily. If you sell to businesses, being a resource by providing knowledge, help, and industry information will go a long way to positioning yourself as a source of business advantage. You can choose to be a sales person, or you can choose to be a business consultant that happens to sell.

My experience has taught me that GREAT customer service is not that difficult to achieve. Use the acronym HAPPY:

1. H -- Be helpful. Greet them when they arrive, return calls quickly, and make sure your customers know they are the reason you are in business. Don’t make them feel like they are an interruption or inconvenience in your day.

2. A -- Be attentive. Develop a relationship. Start by learning and using the customer’s name. Look for ways to make unique connections.

3. P -- Be personal, not pushy. People are looking for guidance; they are not looking to be sold. They enjoy the process of buying, and no matter what the product, they always have questions or concerns that will need to be addressed.

4. P -- Be proactive. Say thank you, smile, and show customers that you truly appreciate they are doing business with you. Make them feel good about their decision. If there are concerns or complaints, address them immediately.

5. Y -- Be yourself. People like doing business with people -- real people. Show your personality; be real. Smile and have fun engaging with your customers. Your positive attitude makes a huge difference.

If you have retail clients, they are in their make-or-break season. This information is designed to help you create and retain happy customers. Do you think your retail clients could benefit from having this information to share with their sales teams? What do you think would happen if you shared it with them?

Providing WOW customer service is even more critical today, given all the competitive buying choices. Is your company providing great service to your customers? As a source of business advantage, are you providing helpful information to your clients on how they can super serve and make their customers HAPPY?

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development for the Radio Advertising Bureau. You can email him directly at jschmidt@rab.com. Other ways to connect: Twitter: @JeffreyASchmidt; LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/schmidtjeffrey.