Strategies for effective customer follow-up
The end of a transaction is not really the end. You still have to do follow-up to ensure that after-sales complaints which range from the predictable, to the embarrassing, and even sometimes the inspiring is mitigated. Whether the customer is being civil or irate; you are the one in the front line and you have to take the hit.
Many business people see follow-up as a ‘thank you’ after a transaction is completed. This is a mistake. Follow-up goes beyond that. Once a person has showed interest in your product or services, you must keep a tab on him or her. This helps you not to lose any prospect. Prospects that have a good impression that they do not only buy, they also tell other people about you.
Below are some possible factors to enhance effective follow-up:
• Be organized
To have an effective follow-up system you must have an organized record keeping system. It is a
good idea to categorize your prospects and the information you intend to send to your customers.
You must ensure that you have useful information for them concerning the product or services.
• Souvenirs
Sending season’s greetings is a good idea and you would do well to send out branded souvenirs as
well. Be very choosy about souvenirs, it has to be a useful item that gets plenty of visibility.
• Focus on the individual
If you use a list system for your follow-up, chances are that you only send out correspondence
when there is major news about the product or services you offer. Following up every
individually is far more effective. Use a method that records your correspondences history with
each prospect as well as their personal information.
• Timing
Seasonal greetings must be planned ahead of time so you must have a timetable for the year with
all the seasons and celebrations including religious and otherwise. Some souvenirs are time
sensitive as well; as calendars and diaries. The time of the day is also a factor.
• Intervals
Make contact at set intervals. Use carefully pre-written messages. The intervals must be carefully
chosen to ensure that they are not too long, too short or too rigid as things could come up outside
your time table.
• The Messages
Take your time to develop your follow-up messages. The first letter/message which is sent
immediately the request is made should be informative and catchy. Below are a few tips on this:
-Always keep it brief.
-Always stress the benefits of your product.
-Always include your contact details.
-Always include your name. People connect better with other people.
-Always refer to the previous mail in the letter.
• Freebies and special offers
Ensure the freebies are related to your products or services. For instance GSM networks give out
handsets that are configured to their network so winners would buy its recharge cards.
• Feedback
Establish a follow-up method that encourages feedback and urges the prospect to respond. For
instance, in a letter ask questions that require feedback. The aim is to engage the prospect.
• Apologize and not excuses
Do not point fingers and do not make excuses. Simply let the customer speak and then apologize
sincerely. It does not change the fact that it was not your fault. You are simply speaking for the
company.
• Solve the customer’s problem
If a customer complains about your company, focus on the restitution of the customer first. You
can slug it out with the person(s) responsible later. Ensure you have policies to cater for these
incidents and you have insurance cover. There might be situations where the customer is asking
for something you cannot give; explain the situation calmly and do the best you can do. But do it
immediately.
• Keep the costs down
As inquiries come in, the list of prospects would grow and the follow-up never ends even after
the first transaction. Therefore you must keep follow-up costs down.
Get more trends like this
Subscribe to our mailing list and get latest Nigeria trends in your inbox.