A lot of businesses today tend to focus all their efforts on acquiring new customers. And we can agree that this is definitely an essential part of growing any business. However, moving your business forward and growing also requires maintaining what you have achieved so far. And the best way to do that is by devoting time and resources to your past customers. The ability to retain customers tells a lot about a brand and its values. It is that extra effort that can define a business in the eyes of audiences and help it build long-term relationships. In this article, Movers Development is focusing on customer retention tactics for movers to implement. Keep reading to learn more about nurturing good customer relationships.
The importance of customer retention strategies for moving companies
Although some might argue as to just how meaningful it is to retain customers in the moving industry, there is a case to be made here. Yes, the average person in America moves 12 times during a lifetime. However, millennials and their moving habits are slowly increasing that average. And while a customer whom you relocated might not be in need of your moving services any time soon, you still have other services to offer. And those customers still have a lot of friend and coworkers that might be looking to relocate in the near future as well. Moving can be such an overwhelming and stressful experience that it helps to have a safe bet and not have to stress over finding a moving company that you can rely on.
Top customer retention tactics for movers to look into
1. Promotions
If consumers today love something, it’s to get attention from brands they “choose” to do business with. With the development of social media marketing and networking, self-awareness has significantly grown in the last decade. And brands understand this, which is why the use of promotional deals is such a popular sales tactic. Showing customers that you appreciate their loyalty is one of the more fundamental customer retention tactics for movers to implement. It comes down to a simple matter of offering customers a token of appreciation in the form of:
- Gift bags;
- Discounts on services;
- Vouchers to help equip their new home;
- etc.
2. Over-the-top customer support
Nothing new here, right? Wrong. It’s a fact that a lot of businesses tend to apply the same model of customer service. The truth is that each niche has a different set of rules when it comes to offering support to customers. And those rules also apply differently when we’re talking about new and existing customers. With new customers, you set the standard of quality during their initial experience, which can influence their decision to deal with your business in the future.
However, when it comes to customer retention, things tend to get more difficult given that you have to uphold the standard of service you initially set. And this is where your ability to create a customer-centric strategy comes into play. So, you need to make sure that your approach to existing customers stays on target.
3. Customer surveys
When you are a service provider, there is a lot that you can learn from getting feedback from customers. Although no business is perfect, there are definitely those that do a better job of meeting customer expectations. And those that don’t need to look in the mirror and learn from their misgivings. One of the ways to make a better impression on existing customers and keep their business is to listen to their remarks. The easiest way to do that is through a simple survey with a mixture of relevant multiple-choice questions and opinion input fields. This is a relatively easy thing to achieve with a little ingenuity and a well-thought-out email marketing campaign every six months or so.
4. Establish a presence in your community
With social consciousness constantly growing, people are looking for companies that will represent their interests in the community. And so, your brand message and presence needs to uphold certain values by investing in the local community. Of course, this doesn’t limit you to simply writing out a donation check once a year and calling it a day. Instead, make the effort to really make a difference and stay memorable while doing so.
As a moving company, you can certainly do charity work through well-known foundations such as Move For Hunger. But you can also organize fundraisers, sponsor local sports tournaments, talent shows, housing projects, etc. All these are just some of the many examples that can help your moving business really leave a mark on the community, upholding one of the best customer retention tactics for movers in the process.
5. Include others what you do
The need to belong is in our nature as people. Feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself gives you the drive to learn and push yourself. And so, you need to make your existing customer feel like a part of your team. You can accomplish that through your moving company blog, where you can share news and updates on your activities as a business. But you can also share useful moving and storage tips, or host public discussions on certain moving-related matters. All this invites customers to engage with your brand and feel that their opinion does matter.
6. Onboard customers
It’s important for customers to understand what it is that they are paying for. And taking that extra step to help educate them about your services and brand definitely helps them be more open toward remaining your customers. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should drown them in unnecessary data about your business, but simply make sure that you are there for them as a guiding hand. When customers request a moving quote, you can contact them directly to explain how the entire process will work and assign a personal moving coordinator to guide them through each step of the process.
7. Introduce a referral program
In the past, we discussed the many benefits of having a referral program as a moving company. And when it comes to customer retention tactics for movers, this is definitely one to look into. By offering compensation to customers that refer others to you or offering those that they refer a discount (or both), you can give them that extra motivation to maintain an interest in your business.
8. Use personalization
We already touched on the topic of the modern need of customers to feel appreciated for their interest in a brand. Given the amount of data companies collect from customers, it’s only fair to use that data to establish a personalized communication with them. After all, that is why personalized marketing is such a successful strategy in modern business. By offering customers a personalized engagement, be it through campaigns or in person, they feel a stronger connection with your team and brand. And this is what keeps them loyal for years.
