Are you aware there are four kinds of customers? Here’s information that you will want to share with all members of your team. At your direction, they should be setting goals to build your business on these four client cornerstones.

Recognize Your Customer Base with the P.L.A.N.

POTENTIAL

The most elusive kind of customer – the one that you haven’t brought into the fold yet. These are the potential clients that you’d like to serve on a regular basis. You and your team members need to have a clear picture of your target customer. You must give serious thought to the characteristics of your ideal client, and market your business accordingly. Keep in mind the elements of profit margin, customer temperament, and logical delivery patterns. Determine how you can appeal to them with service, products, and updated ideas that will change their buying habits from a competitor to you.

LOYAL

Your biggest fans are the loyal clients who have stayed with you through the tremendous times and difficult days. Be sure that your team is regularly touching base with these Priority 1 people, who are often your strongest form of marketing. They have neighbors and friends who hear about the Loyalists’ love for your company’s service and reliability. Maintain and build that loyalty by sharing special offers and good data about the advantages that they regularly enjoy because they continue to do business with you. Provide these people with company credit if they’re instrumental in bringing new people into your circle of clientele. They’ll be grateful for the occasional giveaway of some company swag or a nice bonus, to reinforce your relationship with them.

ABSENT

Some customers leave you by attrition. It’s sad to lose these absent folks, who might have become ANGRY folks. The question needs to be asked, “Why did we lose this good customer?”

Yes, there are some annoying customers who earn your muttered “Good Riddance” when they stomp off to a sleazy competitor, or you finally made it clear to them that their demands were not reasonable, and they were gone. You’re better off without any complainers or tyrants.

Focus on the good ones who may have just drifted away, entranced with some low rate, or a good presentation by a competitor. The Absentees who deserve another look are the ones who may have been Loyal but suffered a hiccup in your company’s service, or just stopped calling. This is an opportunity to humbly contact them directly in person or by phone, and say, “We miss you, we want you back. What’s it going to take?” You have nothing to lose, and you may get some insight into a weakness in your marketing or business execution that needs correction.

NEW

It’s a great feeling to land a new customer, and the goal is to turn them into a Loyal client. Please be sure that your team covers every base in setting tanks and expectations, keeping good contact with the New people, and actually thanking them for their business more than that one time that they signed an agreement. They may have been disappointed with other providers, so your team needs to be certain that the Newbies are made to feel welcome, important, and super-served. A follow-up call from a manager shortly after that first delivery is a good way to demonstrate your caring attitude, in a similar way that a smart restaurant manager will ask patrons if they’re enjoying their recently-served meal.

What’s the common element that must be reinforced with these four customer types? Communication. Be sure that this is stressed with your office people, drivers, technicians and managers. Regular, friendly contact at all levels will stabilize and build your customer base, as long as your entire team is working on all aspects of the P.L.A.N.