How to use accounting software to keep customers for life

Customer retention is all about one thing: keeping your customers happy.

Consistently offering exceptional customer service ‘on the front lines’ is essential to that end—but have you considered how your ‘behind-the-scenes’ customer data can help you deliver top notch service?

There’s a wealth of information available in your accounting data that can help you impress your loyal customers—and keep them buying from you again and gain.

Real-time numbers

Accounting software has accurate, real-time data that can help you better serve your customers, build trust and ensure their immediate needs are met promptly. Accounting software lets you:

• Control your product or service costs by keeping an eye on expenses, so you can keep prices reasonable for your customers.
• Avoid losing trust with an automated invoicing system that will present customers with accurate invoicing.
• Provide instant error-free account information to customers if they have any questions.
• Stock your customers’ favourite products by using reliable inventory management.

Customer-friendly sales processes

The right accounting software can do more for you than track income and expenses, or handle invoicing. It can help you manage new customer accounts as they come in—capturing important data you can use to match your customers’ needs to your products and services.

Use streamlined processes made possible by your accounting software to reinforce your professionalism at every stage of the buying process:

• Provide a range of convenient payment options for your customers, allowing them to pay with cash, credit, or debit—in person, via mobile device, or online.
• Ensure all customer accounting transactions and communications are simple and transparent, including mobile invoicing.
• Build trust with customers by only making promises you can keep. For instance, with recurring and automatic billing available in your accounting software, you can tell customers they’ll be invoiced promptly.

 

Personal touches

Customers are loyal to businesses that take the time to develop a relationship with them. Your accounting software lets you keep track of information you can use to show your customers how much you appreciate them. For example, you can:

• Email your customers with a special offer on their birthday or the anniversary date of their first purchase.
• Acknowledge ongoing loyalty with rewards based on known preferences—for example, during the holiday season, you can send a free product you know they like to buy.
• Suggest purchases and add-ons you know your customers will appreciate based on their buying pattern.

While these are just a few ways you can use your accounting data to retain customer loyalty and increase sales, you’ll likely come up with your own great ideas by taking a closer look at each customer record.