How to retain clients
Acquiring new clients is part of building a business. Retaining those clients after you acquire them is just as important, perhaps more important. It costs less to retain clients than to acquire new ones.
This article provides tips on retaining clients for businesses offering web hosting or related services.
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Know what your clients need and want
Numerous other companies offer the same services that you do. Your clients chose you. Learn why they chose your company, what's important to them about your services, and what other services or features they'd like to have.
Surveys are a good way to find out about your clients' needs and wants. Also take opportunities to talk with them, and pay attention when they make suggestions or requests. Even if a client is the only client of yours with a particular need or want, you can retain that client by fulfilling that need or want if it's feasible for you to do so.
Meet and exceed expectations
In Web Hosting Talk forum reviews of web hosts, the most important features to clients are typically uptime and the quality and speed of support. Meet those expectations with good infrastructure, ongoing staff training in customer support, and enough support staff to avoid support delays.
Exceed expectations by providing more value in other ways. Offer new features and services. Share your knowledge with them via a knowledgebase, blog, or other platform. When you or your staff say that you will do something, follow through every time.
Provide personalized service
Canned helpdesk responses have their uses, but personalized responses add a personal touch and help interaction to develop. Take time to develop personal relationships with clients, and encourage your staff to do so too. These relationships make it easier for clients to tell you what they're looking for and for you to go out of your way to impress them.
Stay in contact
Don't wait for your clients to come to you. Help them remember you:
- Have an opt-in email newsletter with company and website news.
- Blog regularly and allow blog comments.
- Use Twitter to link to interesting content you come across and let Twitter followers know about any updates.
- Use snail mail: send postcards or Christmas cards with personal messages.
See also
Web Hosting Wiki article text shared under a Creative Commons License.
