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6 Ways to Guarantee Repeat Bookings & Increase Customer Loyalty | MarketBox

6 Ways to Guarantee Repeat Bookings & Increase Customer Loyalty

Satisfied customers spend, on average, 2.6 times more, making them a powerful influence on your company’s sales figures. Moreover, 80% of revenue comes from 20% of repeat customers, so keeping customers loyal and booking with your business is essential. 

Here are five tips to help you generate repeat business and increase customer loyalty.

How to encourage repeat bookings & increase customer loyalty

how to encourage repeat bookings & increase customer loyalty | MarketBox

Provide great customer service 

76% of customers don’t return after a bad experience, so one of the most effective ways to get repeat bookings is to provide a memorable customer experience (memorable in a good way, of course!). 

Ways to improve customer service:

  • Ensure information is readily available on your website (pricing, location, hours, FAQs, etc.)
  • Make sure your business is easy to contact, and if customers get in touch, the person they deal with is helpful and friendly. 
  • Address issues promptly and update customers on your changes in response to their feedback.
  • Make it a habit to collect feedback from customers

For more ways to improve your business’s customer experience, check out this article.

Make it easy to book with your business (introduce online booking)

70% of customers want to book online — the simple act of making it easy for customers to book with your business (and using their preferred booking method) will help secure repeat business. 

Integrating online booking into your business couldn’t be easier either. Choose the right software for your needs, list your services, and add a “Book Now” button on your website. 

Multiple online booking software options are available, including ones specifically designed for mobile and in-home appointments, so it’s essential to research and find one that suits your business.

Communicate effectively with messages that add value 

A well-timed email can go a long way in getting customers to book again. But the key is to stay on top of clients’ minds (and inboxes) without spamming them. How is that possible, you ask? 

Ask yourself the following questions

  1. Is this email offering value to the customer? 
  2. When did I last contact the customer? 

If the answer is no, or in the last 48 hours (but more realistically, the last five to seven days), step away from that send button. 

High-value emails/messages to send customers include

  • Updates to upcoming appointments 
  • Appointment reminders 48 hours before their scheduled service
  • Personalized promotions or special offers 
  • New services they might be interested in, or updates to existing offerings 
  • Service reminders for recurring appointments, e.g., it’s been six months since you had your oil change, book in today

Introduce a loyalty program & reward customers for their loyalty 

Loyalty programs are an effective way of guaranteeing repeat bookings because it literally pays to stay! 

Introduce a loyalty program that rewards customers for every booking they make. What that reward looks like will depend on your business and the value of your services, but it could include 

  • Accruing points for each order, which can be used to redeem money off of services 
  • Collecting stamps that entitle them to a free service or service upgrade when they hit specific milestones (e.g., ten stamps)
  • ‘Spin the wheel’ gamification that lets them win prizes after every order (examples include 10% off, $25 towards service X, etc.) 

While you’re at it, create a referral program that rewards customers for each new client they bring in so you can get repeat bookings and new customers in one go. 

Sell services in packages 

Another great way to guarantee repeat customers is to sell your services in packages. This works particularly well for naturally repeating appointments, e.g., swim lessons, lawn care, salon services, etc. 

By letting customers buy packages of appointments, you get the benefit of the increased revenue upfront and the guarantee of future bookings down the road. Packages are also a great way to offer customers better value on repeat bookings, as you can set up discounted offers, e.g., book five appointments and save 20%. 

Tip: To make tracking credits easy for your business and clients, use online booking software that supports packages.

Send a thank you email after appointments to make them feel valued

Finally, if you want your customers to book with you again, it’s important to make them feel valued. A simple thank you email sent after appointments is a great way to show them you appreciate their business and give them an opportunity to provide feedback that can help you improve. 

Automated emails make this tip less labor-intensive, but add personalization tokens such as the client’s name and the service type to make it look less generic. 

Final Thoughts

While there’s no surefire way to guarantee repeat bookings, a business can take plenty of steps to increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat business. Ultimately, it comes down to making the customer feel valued. This can be achieved by offering excellent customer service and rewarding them for their business through loyalty programs, special offers, and personalized messages. 

If you’re interested in appointment management for your business, book a call with one of our experts to learn more about MarketBox

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