3 Critical Customer Retention Tactics for Your FEC

Customer retention is critical for your business to thrive. 

Many FEC owners and operators often think about how to bring in new business through their doors, but keeping customers coming back time and time again helps you maximize revenue and continue to widen your reach. 

In this article, we discuss 3 customer retention tactics that'll help you grow your business.

3 Critical Customer Retention Tactics for Your FEC

Who are your “regulars”? Who are the folks that visit your facility weekly, monthly, and annually? 

• If faces (and names) just came to mind -- Awesome! You’re on the right track. Now ask yourself, why do they keep coming back?
• If you know they exist, but can’t remember anything about them, we may need to time travel back to Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  
• If you don’t have any regular guests, this article might explain why.

Let's jump into some critical customer retention tactics that'll help you get recurring business.

1. "Franchise" Your Customer Experience

Michael Gerber’s E-Myth Revisited covers why most businesses fail and how a small business owner can build a successful business. One of the points he emphasizes is to operate your business like you’re going to franchise it. 

Now I’m not saying you need to franchise and neither is Mr. Gerber. What we’re saying is that your business must rely on systems that can be analyzed and followed, as opposed to relying on people doing a great job working for your business.

Here are some examples of how this can impact your customer experience:

• Last summer, you had the best staff ever assembled. The cleanliness of your facility was even mentioned in a few Google Reviews. When summer ended, two of your hardest workers headed off to college, out of state.

• This summer, you aren’t so lucky. People are making comments on Facebook about the trash not being taken out. You start blaming your staff, or worse, doing everything yourself.

As a leader, it is important to be willing to perform the work you’re asking others to do. 

As a business owner, it is even more important to create a system where you (or spectacular individuals) aren’t relied upon for that work to be done.

Think about the processes you have in place and how often you have to “do it yourself.” Why?

A consistent experience is one of the most important customer retention tactics. Outline a few key behaviors that can apply to every interaction. Here are a few examples:

• Every guest is greeted when they walk in. 
• A standardized phone greeting.
• Two-way name exchange.

Key behaviors and checklists can help you standardize any aspect of your business.  

2. Meet Your Customers Where They Are

Let's say you provide an amazing experience, have amazing attractions, and are in a great location. Why aren’t you seeing more familiar faces revisit your facility? 

Here is an easy way to view this. Just like your customer retention tactics, your customers have evolved with time. Expectations change, and you’ll need to be waiting where they expect to find you. 

Consider taking a look at the following:

• Your website. Is it functional? Mobile-friendly? Easy to book a party through? Do you have a "Book Now" button on the home page?
• Google My Business listing.
  • Have you listed your hours of operation? Holiday hours? 
  • Do you have relevant links and content posted? 
• Social media presence
  • Are you active on Facebook? Instagram?

Focus on catering to your highest paying customers -- those who book events at your facility! You should want more than anything for Timmy’s birthday party to come back year after year and to impress his attendees so they book with you, too.

What hoops are you making these guests jump through to set up their event? 

Phone tag isn’t fun for you, or your potential customer. Eliminating this barrier is one of the most important ways you can retain customers. To do this, you need online booking. 

One of the many benefits of party booking automation is to keep up with demand at any time, day or night.

Meet your customers where they are and make it easy for them to find the information they're looking for to book a party!

3. Ask Your Guests for Feedback

Are you asking guests about their experience, or just waiting for a positive/negative review?

Some of the top FECs in the world survey each and every customer on their way out. If you employ this tactic, you'll get honest feedback and may even avoid making a bad decision!

What you think is or isn’t important may differ from your client base. Your business' ultimate goal is to serve its customer, so why not ask what they think?

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