Keeping valuable customers happy is the key to any good business plan. Creating satisfied customers is a challenge in any environment, however, and requires a focused approach to customer relationships. Soffront Software recently examined this topic, focusing on the five best practices that can be implemented in any size organization to create loyal customers. 

In this blog, cloud CRM provider Soffront highlights the importance of listening to customers and giving them what they need. A good example is visiting the local furniture store to purchase a new mattress. There are a number of different options and you aren’t sure which one fits your comfort level the best. You search for a sales person to help, but all of your inquiries are ignored. Instead, there are signs all around the store telling you what you should want. 

While it is important to use cloud CRM to get your message out to customers, it is just as important to listen to the messages they are trying to send. The good news is that you can use the same cloud CRM platform to accomplish this task. In fact, the best CRM strategies cater to the many stages of the customer purchasing process and a good listener will attract customers again and again. 

It is also important that the cloud CRM solution enable you to personalize the customer experience. You want to go where everyone knows your name – everyone has this desire. Small retailers have found this approach to be very successful, and it can work on a larger scale, too. Look at Amazon.com (News - Alert). This online giant is able to personalize the experience for every one of its millions of customers. 

Don’t forget the importance of the human touch. Cloud CRM is great at capturing information and demonstrating how you can use that information to your benefit; but sometimes the customer wants a direct connection with another person. Don’t just act as a faceless company to your customers as people buy from people. Post personal web pages on your social networking platforms and interact directly with your customer base. 

There is a lot to be said for quick and easy. Customers who have to spend time searching for what they need are quick to lose interest. Likewise, if they have a problem, your cloud CRM should be able to help in a quick resolution. If you aren’t providing this for your base, your customers are likely to go elsewhere. 

Finally, use your cloud CRM to create a culture of customer service. You must do this from the top down or it won’t permeate throughout the enterprise. And, it doesn’t matter if you have two employees or 2,000. Everyone should be trained to provide customer service at a level that is nothing short of outstanding.  

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Juliana Kenny