How a Virtual Assistant can improve your customer relations

Every business owner knows that it is easier (and cheaper) to retain customers than it is to find new ones, but be honest, do you focus as much time on this as you ideally want to?  It is often too easy to let this slip when your time and energy is being pulled in different directions.
 
It can be quite alarming to think of the consequences of not continually building your relationship with your existing customers.  Let’s not dwell on that thought, but let’s look at how a Virtual Assistant could improve your relationship with your existing customers.
 
Let’s say you have clients who subscribe to the product or service you offer, or are part of a membership scheme, or have purchased an ongoing service.  They are probably happy as they are continuing to pay you, but do you actually know that?  Is there a chance they have forgotten about the benefits of your service and are perhaps not getting the best value from it?
 
Could you send them an email each month to 'check in' with them?  Even better, could you give them a call to see how they are and if there is anything you can help them with?  In today’s digital world, nothing replaces human interaction.  As digital devices have taken over our daily interactions, the opportunity to speak to a human being, even over the phone, is becoming a novelty.  Can you remember the last time someone took the time to phone you and ask how things were?  If you are lucky and can answer yes to that question, how did it make you feel?

​A ‘check-in’ telephone call gives you lots of opportunities.  Do you want some feedback on your product/service?  Do you have a new offering or is there a higher value offering that might be more suitable for the customer now?  Is there something changing for your customer that may impact their need for your service or how they use it?  Is there an opportunity for you to make things easier or better for your customers?
 
I am sure you know how valuable this contact and interaction with your customers would be for your business, but you are busy.  How can you fit in 20, 100 or even 200 phone calls a month with everything else you do?

Does it have to be you who makes that phone call?  If you are clear with what you want to achieve with the phone calls it would be easy to brief a Virtual Assistant who could make the calls on your behalf.  If the Virtual Assistant speaks to a customer who is ready to upgrade to a higher value service you offer, the VA could schedule a call for the client with you or send them a link to your appointment booking system.  If the Virtual Assistant speaks to a customer who tells them something that is happening in the future, for example, that they are moving, the VA could add a reminder in your diary.  If the Virtual Assistant identifies any useful information during the call, they could add this to your CRM system.

This example has focussed on phone calls, but a Virtual Assistant could help with customer relations in lots of ways, such as ensuring regular communication with your mailing list, keeping your CRM up to date or monitoring your social media accounts.

Don’t run out of time or let the relationship with your existing customers slip.  Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant could help strengthen your relationships and even identify new opportunities.