We Prefer New Customers But Thanks Anyway for Your Loyalty | #custserv

Business leaders and teams, are you telling your existing customers that you prefer new customers? Before you quickly answer no, think about what you do to attract new customers.



Prefer New Customers: Image is a blue fork in shadow.

Thanks for Your Loyalty But We Prefer New Customers. Image by Peter Roome via Flickr Creative Commons License.

Image by Peter Roome via Flickr Creative Commons License.


Reward Loyalty or Your Message Is We Prefer New Customers

Common Story

I called my cell phone service provider. The rep greeted me with thanks for being a loyal customer. When I asked about a great deal they were offering new customers, he quickly said no you can’t have that. It’s only for new customers.

I asked, what do I get for being a loyal customer? The rep replied, we thank you for being a loyal customer. I said, you mean the only thing I get for being a loyal customer is your scripted thank you?

Then I asked to speak with a supervisor who told me the same thing. I then told a manager you shouldn’t give new customers great deals and take us for granted. The manager finally gave me a great deal.


Think About What You Offer New Customers

  • Lower prices? Why? To build their trust? Then ask yourselves, what are you doing to sustain current customer trust?

  • More flexible interaction and policies? Loyal customers deserve this too.

  • Extra gifts? Why not give loyal customers thank you gifts instead of a scripted thank you?


When you treat new customers better than loyal customers, you look selfish and greedy. You lure customers in with lower prices just to build your sales. In the end, your loyal customers will leave. They realize you care about yourselves not them. You lose their trust and their business




How have businesses made you a loyal customer?



From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™

Related Posts:
Why the Human Touch is Still Key to Customer Experience & Loyalty
Do’s & Don’ts for Irresistible Customer Experience Loyalty

©2017 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. I appreciate your sharing the link to this post on your social streams. However, if you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com for permission and guidelines. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.


Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.


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4 Responses to “We Prefer New Customers But Thanks Anyway for Your Loyalty | #custserv”

  1. Khalid says:

    Hi Kate,

    Wonderful question every customer oriented company should ask themselves.

    I’ve been with OSN for more than 10 years and all I got for this loyalty a drop in channel lists and forced package upgrade because the one I had is no longer offered!

    Regards,
    Khalid

    • Kate Nasser says:

      And your experience Khalid is shared by millions of people in countries around the globe! Maybe if we keep speaking out against this bad experience, more will speak out and service providers will change. Thanks for your personal contribution here.
      Kate

  2. Travis says:

    What I exercise in my company is a couple of things.

    1) I still use discounts, promotions, free product and digital items for bringing in new customers. Employ much of them through landing pages, incorporate in with content, etc. Call it an easy way to bring customers in, that’s the truth. But it’s just one of many avenues to leverage to gain customer base. My biggest favorite however is brand reputation, but that’s a huge topic.

    2) For existing customers, I treat them personally. By that I mean, when I bring on a customer, I really get to know them as people, not just a customer. Incorporating the human element with your product, business and service brings a level of personal touch that’s refreshing. Once I know the people I’m helping, there is a different avenue with which I delight existing customers. Anniversary promotions, holiday discounts / deals, periodic (a surprise) gift in the form of a percentage off their bill or something. I try to keep it mixed up.

    But truth be told, as a customer, I would never “expect” that me being an existing customer should get any kind of break or promotion. I probably got one already in the beginning right (when I signed up for the entry promotion)? 🙂 However, it is always nice to be delighted with a return or a (genuine) thank you for being a loyal customer. The scripted thank you’s sound just like that, scripted.

    • Kate Nasser says:

      Thanks for your examples Travis of what you do in your business. I also believe that we must continue to show our thanks and gratitude to our customers for it is through them that we exist as businesses. That doesn’t mean constant discounts or giveaways. Yet it does mean that we can’t treat “new” customers better than existing ones.

      Kate

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