2023: How businesses can attract new, and keep old customers

The year 2022, for lack of a better phrase, was a year of ‘financial drought.’

Most Ugandans, if not all, experienced very difficult financial times caused by a number of factors including: high fuel and commodity prices resulting from the effect of the Russia-Ukraine war, and an economy that was harshly hit by Covid-19, thus slowing down the country’s growth.

The situation left almost everyone financially numb. Many people were living in a survival mode, spending their money on only crucial items such as food, rent, transport, water, and electricity bills. Businesses, big and small alike, were not spared, everyone felt the year’s financial pinch.

No wonder, phrases like; ‘econome ogilaba, ‘econome eganye’ (The economy has refused) were widely used on social media sites, and in our everyday physical interactions.

With money scarce and people deciding to only spend their hard-earned money on essential commodities, what can business owners do to attract new, and retain older clients?

I spent the last three months of 2022 working in one of my relative’s businesses, and this is what I learned.

First: clients want to be treated with respect. Human relations thrive well when people treat each other with respect, and this includes customers. Customers dislike rudeness, or the ‘I don’t care attitude’.

One evening, a group of four women came to our shop looking for their children’s clothes. Without even asking them, they started ranting to us how the owner of a shop they had earlier visited had shouted at them, and they swore never to go back to that shop again.

Competition for customers in all businesses is high. Don’t lose a customer(s) because of your rudeness. Handle your customers well. No one wants to be yelled at when they come to you for a good/service. They will walk away. After all, you are not the only one in the market providing a service or product.

Remember, when you respect your customers, they are likely to respond positively, and this will increase customer satisfaction.

Secondly, make things easy for your clients. When a buyer comes to you with their hard-earned money, make it easy for them. Some of my aunt’s clients are young people who market and sell their products online. They call and ask her to take pictures of her products and send on their WhatsApp.

Though at times it is an inconvenience, especially when she has other clients, she has to take those pictures and send. This has helped her tap into the younger market, who also refer other clients to her.

So, whatever making things easy for your clients means, please do it. It is one of the ways to retain them, and also attracting new ones. The old ones will refer the new ones to you during the times when the latter need a product or service you are providing.

Lastly, build positive long–lasting relationships with customers. Don’t look at the client who comes for the first time as a by-the-way. Treat them well, and encourage them to come back again. Since Covid-19 disrupted businesses, and consumers are now few, my aunt told me that most of the people that buy from her are old clients.

But how did she manage to build this clientele over time?

She listens to their concerns and responds promptly. She knows a customer is a king/queen and treats them as such, and has great customer care services.

You don’t have to do what she does. Do what you think is best for your customers, and they will keep coming back, because you need them for your business to thrive. Without clients, there is no business to talk about. Best of 2023 to you all!

The writer is a journalist and communications consultant