One thing is certain: you will lose business. Regardless of your industry or the products and services you offer, customer attrition is a common occurrence. Customers leave for many reasons, and although it cannot be eliminated, there are proactive strategies to reduce its impact. That, however, is a topic for another day.
For now, let’s focus on the customers who are leaving because they believe they are getting a “better deal”—a superior opportunity compared to what you are offering. It could be price, quality, service, or simply something they feel you are not offering. But why are they even considering other options? Have you given them compelling reasons to remain loyal? If you fail to provide a powerful reason to stay, customers will eventually find a reason to leave. And while you may assume you’re delivering strong value, your customers may not interpret your efforts the same way.
Every customer has unique expectations, and you will not know what they are unless you ask. To GET and KEEP Customers, these expectations must be uncovered during the discovery process, so you fully understand what is required to bring them on board successfully. Additional questions must be asked during the onboarding stage to ensure you are delivering exactly what the customer believes you committed to. Then, once they become an active customer, those expectations evolve as their business evolves—and you must be prepared to pivot accordingly. Throughout every phase of the relationship, specific actions are necessary to achieve long-term success. Asking the right questions is the foundation of customer retention and ongoing account management.
1. Discovery
A discovery meeting is granted by a prospect who ideally has already been pre-qualified and appears to be a viable fit for your organization. NOTE: You should never invest time meeting with a prospect unless you have first determined their potential alignment with your company’s capabilities and values.
This meeting typically lasts 20–30 minutes and provides the salesperson the opportunity to ask meaningful questions. Those questions should focus on the prospect’s needs and expectations and help determine whether a mutually beneficial partnership is possible. Remember, the goal of the discovery meeting is to learn—not to sell.
By asking thoughtful, well-structured questions, you will uncover what matters most to the prospect in a supplier relationship and what they will expect from you as their new partner.
2. Onboarding
Once both parties have agreed to do business, every commitment made during your proposal becomes an expectation. To build a genuine, trust-based relationship, you must adopt a disciplined “do what you say you will do” mindset throughout the onboarding process. After all, those were the assurances you gave, and they are the standards by which your new customer will measure your performance.
Onboarding is your customer’s first real opportunity to evaluate how you operate as their new supplier. There can be no room for buyer’s remorse or uncertainty about whether they made the right choice. Develop a detailed transition schedule outlining each step and timeline. Share the plan clearly, secure their agreement, and execute flawlessly. Simplicity, efficiency, and proactive communication must anchor your process. A seamless transition sets the tone for confidence, credibility, and long-term trust from day one.
3. Nurturing
Once the prospect becomes a customer, the real work begins. Several years ago, I conducted a training session for a major transportation company that recognized a fundamental truth. While their salespeople secured the business, it was their service department that retained it. I was asked to design a two-day program that covered all aspects of customer service and ongoing nurturing for their entire service team. The program, titled “Signed, Sealed and Delivered…Now Service,” was a tremendous success. Initial resistance quickly faded as participants embraced the message and understood the critical importance of their role in sustaining customer loyalty. Nearly every team member adopted the philosophy, resulting in significantly higher levels of customer retention.
Your customers will leave unless you consistently reinforce their importance through continuous nurturing and a well-designed process that demonstrates, unmistakably, how much you value their business.
To GET and KEEP Customers, you must adopt a “do what you say you will do” approach. From the initial introduction to the close and beyond, customers expect and deserve this.
