This is a guest post from Louise Baker.

Finding a customer is often easy. Keeping them is the harder part. You must always strive to provide excellent customer service if you want your clients to come back to you again in the future. Yet, it may be hard to figure out exactly how to do this. Each client has their own likes and dislikes so it can be hard to accommodate everyone. There are five easy things you can do to wow your customers and have them returning to you again and again.

1. Greet every customer by name and remember them when they visit again. Each client is an individual and you need to treat them as such. If your business does not offer a service in which you would take the customer’s name at the beginning of the interaction, be sure to use it if they pay by credit or debit card. This personalizes the relationship. You may also ask them to fill out a client card so you can contact them with sales and new merchandise alerts. This is an easy way to get their name, phone number, e-mail address and preferences. When they return again, try to call them by their name as it will impress them that you care enough to remember who they are.

2. Follow through with your customers after they visit. Send a thank you card or just give them a call to see how their service was. They will appreciate this and remember that you valued their opinion.

3. If an issue does arise, strive for a quick resolution. Find something you can do to resolve the problem quickly and to their satisfaction. It may be an exchange or return or it may be just listening to their concerns. Make sure you adjust for each situation. One resolution may not work for every customer and you need to bear this in mind.

4. Strive for employee retention. Nothing is better than returning to a company you are satisfied with only to find that the employee who was so helpful is still there. This will also save you on training costs. The longer an employee is with a company, the more they will learn and can pass on to your customers.

5. Always look to improve. If a customer asks for something you don’t carry, offer to get it for them. Pick their brain to see exactly what they are looking for that you don’t offer. If it works with your other merchandise, start carrying it. This will show that you value the opinions of your customers and are willing to adjust to accommodate their needs.

By following these five simple steps to wow your customers, you will see your customer turnover rate decrease. A satisfied customer is one who will not only return again and again, but also one who will pass on your name to others. Word-of-mouth advertising is free and can be a great way to grow your business.

Louise Baker writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning and online schools. She most recently wrote about the best colleges online.

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