Making your business stand out can be difficult; especially if you are offering the same services as your competitors.

No matter how big or small, or what the financial status of your business may be, there is one strategy any business can adopt to set you apart: customer relationships. Building and placing value on the relationships you build with customers is free. The main focus of these relationships is to truly value the customer as a unique individual and not just view them as another sale or a number. When people feel their transaction with your business has been genuine, the whole morale and attitude within the business can change for the positive and drive up profit.

Consider the following benefits of developing strong customer relationships:

Creates brand loyalty
It is highly unlikely that a customer will return to your business for future services and sales if they unsatisfied with their initial transaction. If they are happy with their transaction with your business and they leave feeling genuinely looked after and positive, chances are they will be back.

Increase in referrals
Word of mouth is a strong tool for generating more business. If a customer is not happy with the service they provided, they are likely to go straight to social media and discuss their transaction, speaking negatively about your business. On the flip side, a satisfied customer is likely to speak highly of and recommend your business to friends, and even strangers on community social media pages. A referral from an existing or previous customer is often more trustworthy than a marketing campaign, so placing value on treating existing customers with the utmost professionalism and diligence can see the business grow and profits increase.

Cost-effective
Treating your customers well is a great marketing strategy. It is more cost effective to bring in more business through treating existing customers well (whilst making money) rather than splashing out on marketing campaigns that may or may not be as successful as you had hoped.