A customer is someone who purchases products or services from you and they are an important part of starting, running and growing your business. Depending on your business, a customer interaction may be a transactional once-off purchase, or present the opportunity for a long term relationship, leading to customer loyalty and repeat visits.

We've put together this customer topic to help you better understand your customers and keep them coming back.

Attracting customers

When starting a business, finding customers can feel like a big task. Attracting the right customers and creating a positive customer experience with your business can help you be successful and generate repeat sales.

Read more about:

• understanding your customers
• researching your customers
• finding new customers.

Managing customers

Once you have customers, you need to invest time and effort in managing the relationship, measuring customer service levels and handling complaints.

Read more about:

• What is customer service
• How to provide good customer service
• Measuring customer service levels
• Managing customer relationships
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools
• Handling customer complaints
• Refusing service to customers.

Keeping and communicating with customers

Communicating well and maintaining a relationship with your customers in an important aspect of running and growing your business. Understand and consider ways to keep your loyal customers. You may consider loyalty programs or discounts in your business to encourage repeat visits.

Read more about:

• Communicating with customers
• Keeping loyal customers
• Customer loyalty or reward programs.