Happy Customers are the Best Customers

One question that was asked of me several times on the exhibit floor at Medtrade was “what is an asset I have that can be best used to build more sales?” Each HME provider has different strengths! These are normally the basic programs. One thing they all have in common is their customers.

When you have a happy customer, other than an occasional thank you or compliment, you hardly ever hear a peep from them. You see them and their family caregivers regularly. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of your customers fit that description?
Then there is the unhappy customer! One who is dissatisfied with something that has happened, no matter how trivial it is. You often will never hear a word from them. As a matter of fact, you will never hear anything because invariably you have lost that customer.

A good friend, with an excellent company in New England, told me about an unhappy situation that happened. He was fortunate he heard about it in time to prevent it from mushrooming. A member of his staff, meaning well, inadvertently said something that the customer interpreted as insulting and he walked out.
The upset customer told a friend what happened. His friend was nice enough to speak to the owner about the incident. The owner then called the customer, apologized and mended the situation. An unhappy customer will tell all of his friends about the incident, and with each telling, the tale will grow and become even worse.

How much does it cost to develop a new customer? Probably a great deal more than keeping an old one. Please instill in your staff the necessity for good customer service. Courtesy goes a very long way towards building a business.