Plastering “Under new management signs” all over your business may not be enough to bring previous customers back to your cash registers. If you believe that your business needs a change, here are 5 steps to getting the change you need and improving your reputation with the locals.
Identify the problem
Is it a downfall in customer service, a shift in pricing, lack of options or perhaps a decline in product quality? This is an important point of reference that will direct how successful the transformation process will be. The easiest way to gather this information would be to share a survey on your website or social media pages, where old customers are likely to visit. A survey is usually free and an accurate source of information.
Develop a plan
By now you have a good indicator of what your customers are looking for. Before you announce that you’ve heard what they had to say, you need to create a strategy to turn these issues around.
Make them feel heard
You’ve put in the work to find out why customers aren’t returning so next step is to make them aware that you’re working on it.
Entice them back with a strong offer
Dockets are great way to promote your offer to both prospective and existing customers. Many advertisers also use the dockets to spread the message that they’re under new management. They now have two reasons to return, which brings us to the next point.
Give them a new experience
When customer’s return, make sure you’ve briefed your staff on the changes that you want implemented to ensure a smooth experience for the customer. Change your process in-store to focus on the consumer. Now that you have a strong offer and offer a great in-store experience, you’ve given the customer plenty of reason to return.
The last thing to remember is that improvement is an endless process, so it’s important to keep the lines of communication between your customers and your business open. List your business on a review site like Yelp or set up a Google+ page, so existing customers have a way to leave feedback, but also so that future prospects will see all the great reviews of your new business!
