Some might misunderstand that landscapers and their clients have a one-time relationship regarding the designing and installation of a client’s new landscaped garden. This is an understandable assumption, given that a landscaped garden is usually created once and then not again for many years.
For that reason, it might at first seem unnecessary for landscapers like Sydney professionals Intreeg Landscapes to pursue anything designed to generate client loyalty. After all, if a client is only going to have their garden redesigned every 10, 15, or even 20 years, a lot can change. However, if we think about this further, there are several reasons why a landscaper should seek to build loyalty with their clients, as outlined below.
#1: Ongoing Services
Whilst a landscaped garden design and creation is indeed a one-off job, maintaining that garden is not. Adding on new features such as new garden pots or fountains may interest clients in the future, if their previous experience was good, they will be more inclined to call you for the job. Many landscapers offer additional services, including maintaining not only the gardens they have created but also those they have not. The revenue generated each month from clients paying a landscaping business to maintain and repair their landscaped garden can be significant and certainly enough to warrant building client loyalty.
#2: Additional Designs
There is no guarantee that a single client only has one property they want landscaping for. They could be a business owner who owns a business property. They could own more than one residential property they rent out and might want a new garden for them. They might also be someone who works for a company or organisation and responsible for who gets chosen to landscape that business’s gardens.
#3: Referrals
Even if the client that a landscaper has just completed a job for might not have any further design needs, they might know someone who does. If a client feels that a landscaper has done a fantastic job, and has provided them with exceptional service, then they are going to be more than happy to recommend them to others such as family, friends, and work colleagues.
How To Generate Customer Loyalty
Here are three perfectly feasible ways you can generate loyalty from your customers and thus benefit from the above.
Enhance Your Customers’ Experience
There are endless ways in which to better the experience your clients have from the moment they get in touch, to the completion of their garden, as below.
- Make your website’s contact form easy to complete
- Ensure when they ring they are answered promptly
- Turn up on time every day when working on their garden
- Keep disruption to a minimum
- Ensure that the work is completed on time and to specifications
Involve Your Customers More
This may require some original thinking, but if you can crack this it should be massively beneficial. Ways to involve clients more include:
- Asking them to complete a customer satisfaction survey
- Asking them how you could have improved their experience
- Using email marketing to send them landscaping tips and advice
- Setting up a Facebook page for tips and advice and inviting clients to follow it
Make Your Customers Feel Extra Special
Again, there are numerous ways to make customers feel special.
- Offer them a loyalty discount for each year they remain a maintenance client
- Offer them a small introduction fee for each additional client they refer to you
- With their permission, use their garden as a ‘show garden’ and feature it in your marketing and website
- Send them a card on the anniversary of their garden’s completion offering discounts for your other services
