The Key to Creating Customer Loyalty

Filed Under Pet Business Tips |

If you’ve followed my first two posts in this series on customer relations you already know the keys to making a great impression on the phone and at your first face to face meeting with new clients. But how do you take advantage of this terrific start and convert this new client into a loyal client that will come to you for their pet products or services on a regular basis?

Happy customers are a result of you providing the service or product that you promised them in your meeting and that is described in your marketing materials. Customer loyalty is earned when you exceed your customers expectations. Exceeding expectations is easy when you under-promise and over-deliver.

Over delivering means that you provide them with a bonus perk that they were not expecting. This perk doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming for you - just a small extra that shows that you care about them and their pets. Something that you do that makes the customer think or say “Wow they really provided an outstanding service”.

Here are a few suggestions for a small unexpected perk that you can give to customers:

1) If you are a dog walker or runner, after the walk is completed leave a short note detailing the dogs behavior on the walk, reaction to other pets or squirrels, the route that you took, and any training reinforcement that you worked on with the dog while you were walking.

2) If you are a pet photographer, produce some small wallet size pictures of the pets to give customers as a gift to show off to their friends.

3) If you are a doggie day care operator, provide a free dog wash or nail trim.

4) If you are a groomer, send the dog home with a fancy bandana to make him look a million bucks!

5) If you are a pet sitter, wash out the pet food bowls, take the time to clean up accidents on carpets, put out the trash on collection day, or take a photo of the pet during your visits and leave for the owner when they return

As part of my pet sitting business I have recently started giving all clients a key ring with our phone contact details before they leave on their trip. If they use this on their keys that they take this ensures that if there is any emergency or delay in their flights that they will always have our number on hand to let us know and ensure we continue to care for their pets.

I hope that you are now getting the idea behind over delivery. These small actions or gifts can be what sets you apart from your competition and drives clients to refer to their friends and family when they need your product or service.

If you have any other great ideas that you are using in your business please leave a comment and let us know!

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