Have you have ever seen an ad or an offer from a cell phone company, retail store, cable company or health club where a special offer is made to attract new customers? For example; Free phone if you sign up today. Become a new subscriber and you will receive 100 free channels. Or, receive a free gift for joining and being a new member of our club. We have all seen these ads and many of them are very effective.
Have you ever contacted them and asked if you could be included in that special offer, or have access to those 100 new channels? Especially since you have been a loyal customer for many years. We all want to be included in a special offer.
I contacted the business about their offer and was told: “You can’t have that offer because you are an “old customer”. I was shocked by the service agent’s words. Did they just call me an “old customer”? I understand the mindset of a business and their attempt to acquire new customers. I am all for it. Just don’t call me or refer to me as an “old customer”. That certainly doesn’t make me feel happy, important or that you care. Particularly since I have been pouring money into your business for years and this is the appreciation I get.
I must say I was not very happy and this all could have been avoided if the person had chosen a different set of words or phrase. Perhaps saying, “We certainly appreciate you as a customer and although this is a promotion for attracting new customers only, we truly appreciate your loyalty to our business.” This sounds much better. The key is not to make a customer feel as an outcast or unimportant. Tell me that you care about me, appreciate my business and understand where I am coming from.
Empathize with me and I might be a little more understanding towards your ad and continue to be your customer. If not, I might become frustrated, cancel, stop visiting or sign up with a competitor who I feel cares about my business and me more than you do. That is not the outcome any business would like to see.
It is less expensive to keep a existing customer than to find a new one. Telling me I am an “old customer” is not a very good strategy to build customer loyalty and will only open the door for me to possibly move to one of your competitors. Cherish your customers as if they were about to leave, make them feel important and keep them happy by choosing your words wisely and your customers will remain loyal. Then your business and organization will continue to be MAGICAL!