MSP Tips: Building Higher Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

By Zetta Guest Blog

Marketing brought you the leads. Sales sealed the deal. Now the true metric for success comes into play: keeping customers happy, and in it for the long run. For managed service providers (MSPs), the ability to satisfy customers and build loyalty can make or break their business.

Give your customers good reasons for choosing and continuing to trust you with their business.

Tip 1: Meet Basic Needs

At minimum, meeting your customers’ expectations is a basic requirement for staying in business. When customers are happy and have no complaints with the product or service you are offering, then they’re satisfied customers. But having a satisfied customer does not translate into customer loyalty. You can still be at risk of losing your customer if it gets a better offer from your competitors.

Tip 2: Go Beyond Expectations

Achieve higher customer satisfaction by going beyond expectations. Respond quickly to their needs, and provide good customer service. Identify what additional value you can provide that will give you an edge over your competition. The value you add to your service can translate into a compelling brand image your company stands for and can build as your reputation in the market. In addition, these value-added services can add to your profitability because customers will be willing to pay extra when you provide more value to them.

Tip 3: Build and Nurture Loyalty with a Personalized Touch

Now that you’ve met and exceeded your customers’ expectations, it’s time to gain their loyalty. In the end, you’re dealing with people, not just businesses. And no matter what some might say, everyone wants to feel special. By building a meaningful relationship and tapping into emotions to deliver a more personalized touch, you will go a long way toward building loyalty. The key is to use actions, not just words, to let customers know you care. The ultimate goal is to earn their trust and loyalty, making it much more difficult for your competitors to sweep in and take customers from you.

Bonus Tip: Excel at Great Customer Service

The lifeblood of any business is good customer service. Excelling at it can bring market dominance and higher customer retention. Answer the phone ready to help. Set expectations with your customers, and make only promises you can keep. Show your customers you’re listening by responding with knowledgeable answers and recommendations. Go the extra mile, and be helpful even if there’s no profit in it. Follow up with a phone call to make sure everything is alright.

The end result could be higher revenue and profits.

Art Ledbetter is director of channels at Zetta. Guest blogs such as this one are published monthly, and are part of MSPmentor’s annual platinum sponsorship.