We all know that security services are NOT commodities. Yet, sadly, consumers often assume that the services offered by ADT are the same as those offered by AAA Neighborhood Security. So how do you win in this business?
Alarm dealers can borrow proven techniques used in other industries to leverage your customer base and build loyalty. In today’s ultra-competitive security systems marketplace, the last thing you can afford to do is to take those customers for granted.
The key to success is keeping your customers satisfied, while bringing in new ones to at least offset lost accounts. Every alarm dealer wants to:
- Keep existing customers
- Attract new customers
- Cross-sell products and services into your customer base
How do you do it? COMMUNICATE with your customers on a regular basis. Understand their needs, concerns, satisfaction and problems.
The invoice is the most frequent contact you have with most of your customers. Why not leverage this point of contact? An invoice normally has lots of white space. Get creative, and use that space to make the invoice a customer communications tool. Below are 4 tips that you can use to maximize your invoice.
- Make sure your customers are happy. Survey your customers to know how well you are doing and fix what is broken.
- Generate leads. What better way than to get the recommendation of your customer? Provide incentives for customer referrals.
- Educate and inform. Provide information that will help them and keep you top of mind. Help them check their systems regularly, reduce false alarms, or just say thanks for your business.
- Cross-sell and up-sell. Identify customers that have expanded businesses or added onto their homes. Be proactive in move-out situations – get two customers rather than losing one.
A customer communication program can help you simplify and succeed. What are you doing to communicate with your customers?