Effective Sales Monitoring and Customer Retention Strategies

Posted on Jan 2, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Item 12: Sales Monitoring and Customer Retention

1. The Monitoring of the Sale

Monitoring the sale consists mainly of providing customer service that guarantees the satisfaction of their needs with the product or service furnished by the seller.

Every seller must know that closing the sale is only the beginning of a new era in customer relations. The primary objective of monitoring the sale is to win customers. For good sales tracking, the following will be necessary:

  • A) Delivering the promise
  • B) Maintaining trust
  • C) Providing good after-sales service
  • D) Addressing complaints
  • E) Self-assessing results

2. Delivering the Promise

These have to be realistic. Ways to keep promises include:

  • A) Not setting a deadline knowing that we will not be able to meet it
  • B) Not exaggerating the product’s properties or utilities
  • C) Ensuring the availability of other departments of the company involved in the matter
  • D) Specifying the commercial terms

3. Keeping Trust

The time that elapses between placing the order and product delivery is a delicate stage, which can cause customers some hesitation and uncertainty. When a person has made a purchase, especially if it is a high-priced item, it is normal to wonder about the wisdom of their decision.

Through a phone call or letter, the seller can thank the customer for their purchase and show the correctness of their decision. Letters are usually the most satisfactory way of tracking a sale that has already been made. A thank-you letter creates an atmosphere of goodwill, courtesy, and concord. In general, some of the recommendations for maintaining customer trust are:

  • A) Keeping them informed on the status of their order
  • B) Scheduling a follow-up visit to ensure that the delivered product corresponds well to the offer and that it works well
  • C) During other visits or phone calls, convincing the client that they can count on us to inform them of technological changes, changes in products, people, or services
  • D) Providing small “private” or “business” services to get out of the box of the strict function of the seller

4. After-Sales Service

After-sales service is to provide all necessary services so that the product can continue to function properly throughout its life. Post-sale service comprises three groups of activities: guarantees, spares and spare parts, and technical assistance.

  • A) Guarantee: This involves offering customers insurance to cover the possible failure to manufacture or the performance of the products for a determined period.
  • B) Spare Parts and Spares: They can either be used to troubleshoot the product in the warranty period or to repair products whose warranty period has already expired.
  • C) Technical Assistance After Sales: This is embodied in service workshops. Its success depends on:
    • a) Installed workshops should be adequate both in workshop and media dimensions as well as in regard to the location.
    • b) The term in which the product is committed to being fixed must be reasonable and must be respected.
    • c) The staff must be competent, technically well-prepared, and commercially minded.
    • d) The workshop should always have spare parts that may be necessary, and tools that may be needed for repairs.

5. Claims

It is considered that attention to claims is yet another aspect of customer service; the seller must take this into account when monitoring the sale. Being the person who has a more direct contact with the customer, they are responsible for settling grievances and complaints from customers.

A properly treated customer complaint can bring the following advantages:

  1. Prevent the damage that unhappy customers can cause.
  2. Help improve the company’s future projects.
  3. Complement the information that your company has about the public, its market in general, and their particular client, received through other channels.
  4. Increase customer confidence with the company.

The most frequent causes of complaints are:

  • A) Seller is delayed in shipment
  • B) Poor condition or operation of goods sold
  • C) Some items are missing
  • D) Errors on invoices or delivery notes
  • E) Poor treatment received
  • F) Failure to comply with any of the conditions of the order

6. Complaints Handling

When facing a claim, we can find the following situations:

  1. What the claimant argues is true: We must acknowledge our mistake, apologize, and, if necessary, provide compensation for damages.
  2. That the claimant’s arguments are not correct, or that the facts were not produced as follows: If we know for certain that the claim is true, we must assess such factors as whether the claimant is the kind of person who is always making complaints, whether it is the first protest, if interested or not in maintaining the business relationship with the claimant, etc. When we suspect that the claim does not conform to reality, but do not know for sure, we will give in and correct any possible error. We will let the claimant know that the case is unclear, but we trust what they say. This way, we prevent unfounded claims from becoming a habit.

Complaints Face to Face or by Phone

The seller must:

  1. Listen carefully to the customer.
  2. Make sure that the product the customer claims has been acquired from our company.
  3. Remember that at the time, they represent the company.
  4. Treat the customer, making them feel comfortable and relaxed.
  5. At any time, express interest and desire to help the customer.
  6. Fix the problem as quickly as possible.
  7. Ensure that the complainant perfectly understands the whole performance going forward and what is being done.

When facing a claim, the seller will not:

  1. Allow their responses to be influenced by feelings of guilt or anger toward the client or the mistake that may have been committed.
  2. Engage in verbal confrontation with the customer.
  3. Express personal opinions about the actions of another person or company.
  4. Force the client to make a particular interpretation of the situation without appropriate evidence.
  5. Consider that the complaint is not important or think that the claimant is a liar.

Letters of Claim

These are letters the buyer writes to the seller in need of compliance with the terms of the order. When writing a complaint, it should be made very clear what is being claimed and why.