7 C’s of Customer Retention Checklist
7 C’s of Customer Retention Checklist
1. Caring Attitude Projecting a caring attitude through: tone of voice use of pleasantries (please, thank you) smile projection empathy language (minimal use of industry jargon) taking ownership going the “extra mile” on behalf of customer
2. Customized Practices Definition of customizing: treating customers as individuals at all points of interaction making exceptions to policies/procedures to meet individual customer needs empowering customer contact personnel using the customer’s name in conversation ensuring the customer knows the contact person’s name specific empowerment: approval limits policy waiver limits waiver of fees/charges temporary credit line increases
3. Competent Customer Contact Personnel Projecting knowledge and confidence through: knowledge of organization’s products knowledge of organization’s services knowledge of organization’s policies and procedures knowledge of inter-company and inter-departmental processes availability of customer’s account information to all staff availability of customer’s purchase history to all staff
4. Call/Visit Once Eliminating the need for customers to repeat information: add information to statements/invoices to eliminate calls put mailing address on payment voucher section of invoices/statements determine most convenient way for the customer to correspond with the customer (letter, fax, form letter, e-mail)
©2010 Howard Marketing Services Page 1 of 3
create internal infrastructure so customer always talks/meets with same customer contact person track how often each customer contact person handles an entire call and resolves problems without having to refer to others or pass off to others internal infrastructure and policies on when it is okay to transfer customer to another staff (e.g. under what circumstances, how this should be handled, what is an acceptable number of times to be transferred?)
1. Caring Attitude Projecting a caring attitude through: tone of voice use of pleasantries (please, thank you) smile projection empathy language (minimal use of industry jargon) taking ownership going the “extra mile” on behalf of customer
2. Customized Practices Definition of customizing: treating customers as individuals at all points of interaction making exceptions to policies/procedures to meet individual customer needs empowering customer contact personnel using the customer’s name in conversation ensuring the customer knows the contact person’s name specific empowerment: approval limits policy waiver limits waiver of fees/charges temporary credit line increases
3. Competent Customer Contact Personnel Projecting knowledge and confidence through: knowledge of organization’s products knowledge of organization’s services knowledge of organization’s policies and procedures knowledge of inter-company and inter-departmental processes availability of customer’s account information to all staff availability of customer’s purchase history to all staff
4. Call/Visit Once Eliminating the need for customers to repeat information: add information to statements/invoices to eliminate calls put mailing address on payment voucher section of invoices/statements determine most convenient way for the customer to correspond with the customer (letter, fax, form letter, e-mail)
©2010 Howard Marketing Services Page 1 of 3
create internal infrastructure so customer always talks/meets with same customer contact person track how often each customer contact person handles an entire call and resolves problems without having to refer to others or pass off to others internal infrastructure and policies on when it is okay to transfer customer to another staff (e.g. under what circumstances, how this should be handled, what is an acceptable number of times to be transferred?)