Retaining High End Clients

Suggest we define what a “high end client is” in the opening sentence – might be different things in different markets. Whether you are staying in a 5* hotel, eating in a Michelin star restaurant, traveling Frist Class by rail or in business on an airline.

A recent study by the IDC, which sample included 24,000 consumers from 12 different countries, discovered that 25 per cent of users will be willing to leave a review after receiving good customer service. Furthermore, 18 per cent would go onto buy from the company again, regardless of the price.

Now more than ever before, delivering good customer service is worth far more than establishing a positive reputation for your business. The Ombudsman Services report predicts that the UK loses approximately £37bn every year thanks to poor customer service.

Get the customer in the door and you’ve just won half the battle. How then, do you successfully get them to return, particularly if they are a high-end client?

Here, with JSD, who create bespoke uniforms, we examine the various ways in which you can attract and retain high end clients.

Understand your customer

Think of entering a Tesla or a Lamborghini show room, as opposed to that of Hyundai or Kia — the customer will be expecting an incredibly different service in the most part, thanks to the money they are parting with.

So, with this in mind, why would you deliver your client something completely obscure to their needs and requirements? From the first point of contact with a prospective customer the quest should be to find out what is important to them and continue to evolve as their needs do. Using modern technology big companies can now track their clients likes, dislikes, buying trends, and be proactive in their contact with them in response to these demands.

One of the most cost-effective methods of better understanding your customer is through asking for feedback. Don’t, however, fall into the trap of asking closed questions, as, not surprisingly, they return closed answers. Use the likes of: “In your opinion, how did we perform in the delivery of the recent project?” and “if you were to recommend any ways in which we could improve moving forward, what would they be?”.

If your position prevents you from dealing first-hand with customers daily, chances are you won’t know what makes them tick. Speak to your client relationship managers, or your staff on the front line, and they will help you determine your customers’ requirements.

Communication

Technology is slowly fulfilling most roles within business, whether it be smart processes or stages of the manufacturing industry. One area, however, that the ever-enhancing innovation will not be able to replace is compassion and empathy. No-one-is-uniform.

Remember, your customers are humans too. Share your good news stories, successes along the journey and they are more likely to understand that if mistakes happen and, although they might not be overly thrilled about it, hearing about it sooner rather than later is almost always a positive — of course, it won’t seem like it at the time.

A smooth flowing channel of communication is important in any relationship. From the IDC survey, 91 per cent of customer and 67 per cent of business respectively suggested that mobile and online services should be faster.

High end clients have high expectations, they may demand your attention and expect the personal touch in every interaction. Balancing the needs of all your customers can therefore be a challenge. By scheduling regular calls or meetings, setting up automatic responses, or having timings in place, acting as a promise to when you’ll reply to your customers, you can satisfy this list of clients without neglecting others.

Perks

It should come as no surprise that many of your customers will respond positively to something for free, or an added value offer. At the end of the day, an expected item of gratuity is welcomed by anyone in this world, regardless of their stature.

First of all, look at what your business can add to the product or service You can offer discounts or a reward scheme in return for positive customer relations too.

Engage with your clients by hosting a corporate event – topics such as employee well-being; sustainability and brand building always gather a crowd. Or it may be a simple round of golf or a day out at the football, or a working lunch. Or, perhaps you can send a Christmas hamper.

Tracking

High-end business clients will have achieved their position thanks to a focus on results. Prove to them that you can deliver the desired results by implementing a tracking system.

ROI is crucial for any business. Show your clients how and when you will deliver and base this answer on quantifiable calculations and statistics. Share the results regularly and meet with them as often as you can.

Understand your clients, recognise their worth, and ultimately offer them everything that you would expect.