What Makes A Good Customer?

When we’re starting out in business, any customer can seem like a good customer, so long as they pay on time.

Then, as we progress, we start to get a feel for what a good customer looks like:

·         They keep coming back for more
·         The value of each engagement starts to increase
·         They tell their friends and other contacts about us

Over time, we may begin to depend on their business more than we should.  Then, one day, they’re not there any more and suddenly we’re in trouble. 

We need to use what we’ve learned about our good customers to identify other people or organisations that fit the same pattern.  That way, we can concentrate on selling to the contacts which are most likely to turn into good customers over time.

One way to do this is to measure the way our good customers behave – how frequently they give us business; how much revenue we’ve gained from them, both directly and indirectly, and also how profitable they’ve been.

This last measure can sometimes be a surprise.  If we add up all of the time we spend working on a particular customer’s account – answering support calls, additional site visits, the odd hour of unpaid work here and there – suddenly they may not seem so profitable. 

Keeping track of all of the costs associated with a client can seem a real chore, but it’s the only real way to decide whether they’re a good customer for our business or not.  At Thorneycreek Consulting, we can help you bring together and analyse all of the information you have about your clients, so you can make informed decisions about just who your best customers really are, and start looking for more of the same.

Contact us today to arrange a free initial consultation and take the first step towards really understanding who your good customers are.

Do You Know Where You're Going To?

I was recently invited to a client meeting in Lincoln.  That’s not a place I know very well, so I decided to call in an old friend to help me find out how to get there: the AA route planner website.

I typed in my starting point, my home postcode, and the postcode of the place I wanted to get to.  The website worked out the best route and drew me a map.  It told me how far away the destination was, how long it would take to drive there and, by implication, what it would cost.

When it comes to getting the best value for money from information technology, our clients often find themselves in a similar situation: they know where they want to get to, but they’re not sure of the best way to get there.

At Thorneycreek Consulting, we provide a business equivalent to the AA route planner.  We call it a Now and Next Review.  We look at where you're starting from, understand where you want to be, and then work out the best way for you to get there.  We’ll draw you a map, and give you some idea of how long it will take and how much it will cost.  And, for organisations with fewer than ten employees who sign up for an IT review with us during February, we’re offering this service for only £500 + VAT.

Contact us today to arrange a free initial consultation, and start moving your business towards where you want it to be.