During the COVID-19 lockdown when all public places and religious centers were restricted, my neighbor still went to church for Sunday service. How?
She leaves for church on Saturday night. She treks long distance to church. She sleeps in the church till 5am when the service began.
I could not believe that people could risk their lives and disobey a government order just to attend church service during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Haven’t you seen people who find it extremely difficult to attend Sunday service in another church or denomination simply because they have become so entangled with their church? You call it commitment, but I call it an occultic relationship.
I used one barber all through my 5 years at OAU. I have been using one Phone Engineer since 2014. When it comes to laptop accessories, sales and repairs, Del Survive has been my only plug since 2016. Everyone around me knows how much I brag about my tailor.
My relationship with my tailor is ‘occultic.’ If not him, no one else; not even for free. Since I was born and now I am getting old, I have always bought my crayfish from Mama Stanley at Bodija Market.
There was a POS guy in my street in Ile-Ife. One day, I went to use the POS but he was not around. There were at least five other POS shops along the road but I decided to wait till he returned. There were four persons waiting for him also.
In 2010, when Ola Mummy Food Canteen became very prominent in Bodija, some people thought she used juju on her customers. Because once you tasted the food, you would always go back again. It was always a very long queue. It takes a very disciplined person not to request for an extra plate at Ola Mummy Food Canteen.
The good thing about loyal customers is that they are the best unpaid marketers. They keep referring people to you for free. They also make up large part of your revenue. It is easier to convince them to try a new product. They give less headache. They cooperate easily when you increase your price.
Do you have loyal customers abi na soldier-go-soldier-come approach you dey take run your business? It is one thing to get new customers, it another thing to retain them.
If you are only concerned about getting new customers and not focused on retaining the old ones, you will soon be out of business.
It takes a lot to earn a customer’s loyalty, especially when there are several competitors out there. Loyalty is expensive, you have to earn it.
- Be credible
Don’t be like the average Nigerian tailor. Only promise what you can deliver. Do what you say you are going to do and when you say you are going to do them. In case of any hitch, communicate as soon.
2. Pick calls
Return customer’s phone calls promptly. Since so many Nigerian business people don’t return calls, you automatically gain an advantage when you do.
3. Apologize and Compensate
Don’t be like the Nigerian airport services. If you make a mistake, just saying, “I’m sorry” is not enough; you need to compensate. Even though customer is NOT always right, you do not need to argue with your customer or defend your mistakes. Better still, explain your point of view politely.
4. Be accessible
Stay in touch. Remember the best clients are your current ones. Don’t take them for granted. If I come to you shop and it is closed and I call your phone, you no pick, even if you sell the best and cheapest product, I won’t come back to you.
Show customers that you are available. Your business should be open to meeting their needs. Nigerians are the most impatient creatures on earth.
5. Always give change
I was in Ile-Ife last week, I went to three different restaurants to buy food or snacks, but none of them had change. Even if they have, they won’t give you. There are some shops that you will never patronize because you no say dem no dey everly get change.
6. Don’t cheat your customer
While garri is sold at Bodija Market at 250 naira per congo currently, it is still sold at Academy Market (Iwo Road) at 400 naira per congo. The most annoying thing is that you will meet 8 cups in a congo instead of 10 cups.
If na you, shey you go patronize a disloyal seller again? Even if your customer does not know that the price has reduced, don’t take advantage of their ignorance. Don’t sell adulterated products. Don’t mix your ground pepper with kolanut or your sugar with honey.
7. Don’t look down on your customers
The same customer that buys one cup of egusi today can buy 4 bags of egusi tomorrow. In fact, the house maid that buys half bottle of palm oil from you toady can refer you to her boss tomorrow.
8. Be there for them in terms of need
Once it rains in Ibadan, a transport fare of 200 naira becomes 500 naira, especially okada riders and micra drivers. All my life, I have never seen a people as extortive as Ile-Ife people.
Don’t doubt it if I tell you that Ile-Ife is the headquarters of extortion in Nigeria. Dear, don’t extort your customers in their time of need. This is the unique selling point of BOVAS Filling Station.
9. Have a great attitude.
Most of your customers buy from you because of your personality. Either you are so funny, so caring or so educated.
10. Treat your employees well.
If you treat your employees poorly, there is a good chance they will treat your customers badly.
11. Reward your customers
Give back to your best customers. If you run a special price or product offer for first-timers, make sure to offer a promotion to your current customers also. Send them a gift, at least once every year.
Send ‘happy new month’ message to them. Call them to check up on them if you don’t see them for a long time. If your customer attends Jehovah Witnesses, all you need to give him is one umbrella and he becomes a loyal customer for life.
If a customer doesn’t feel appreciated, all it takes is a “better opportunity” with a competitor for them to jump ship.
12. Be a resource.
No matter what your customer needs, try to find it for them, even if it has nothing to do with your business.
13. Eliminate the hassle factors
One of the reasons I switched from Nigerian banks to fintech apps was because of poor customer service. A lady will be sitting down ordering you around.
“Go downstairs. Pick Form A. Make a photocopy. Stamp it. Check back after 10 working days.” Haba!
Make it as easy as possible for your customers to do business with you. Do things for their convenience, not yours. The easier you can make it for them, the more loyal they will be. Determine all the ways you can eliminate the “hassle factor.”
14. Give ‘jara’
Some customers are loyal to you because of the jara (extra) you give to them while some will never come back to you if you do not give them jara. Jara has a psychological and pleasurable effects on Nigerians.
15. Offer customer service “surprises”
There is a reason why your bank remembers you on your birthday. It makes you feel special and appreciated even when you feel you are not a big customer. If you can record your customer’s birthdate and give them a call or send a message, it will go a long way.
I can never forget the day my tailor surprised me with a bottle of coke for me. At another time, he gave me an Ankara tie and a customized nose mask for free. Don’t wait until your customers make a request. Step out and surprise them.
16. Evolve
No matter how caring you are to your customers if the only hairstyle you can plait is ‘shuku with curve’ very soon, your customers will move to another stylist that can make Butterfly locs, Crochet braids, Jungle braids, Knotless braids and Passion Twist.
Like I would always advise “Don’t just sit down in your shop idle, evolve. Learn the new trends in your field.” Don’t be an old school tailor. Don’t be an old school mechanic. Africans are too impatient to forgive your reluctance to evolve.
© Kingsley Ndimele
Your Reliable Consultant