Keeping long-term customers does many things for your business, outside of provided reliable income. Three NRHA Professionals share their tips for maintaining customers for the long haul.
By Jennifer Paulson
A full barn is a full barn, in many respects. But a barn full of longstanding customers can be a major key to your success in business. Many experts say it costs five times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep a current one, including all the marketing costs to attract newcomers. That can make a massive difference in your bottom line, not to mention help you sleep better at night knowing that you understand exactly what your customers expect out of you because you’ve known them for years.
We spoke with three established NRHA Professionals—David Hanson, Kari Klingenberg, and Shane Brown—to determine key elements that can help you keep your customers in your barn and participating in your program instead of taking their reining horses somewhere else or—worse—trading in their horses to take up hobby boating or another high-end pastime.
In this article, they’ll cover:
Part 2: Understanding Their Goals
Part 4: Location and Consistency
Honesty and Equity
“Even when it hurts a little, honesty is the biggest thing,” Brown asserted. “You have to be honest, even if they don’t want to know the answer. Maybe the horse they bought isn’t the caliber they’d hoped, or the horse isn’t ready to go to a major event. It’s hard to say no, and I’m not always good at it, but when it comes to what matters and doing right by the horse, it’s essential.”
Brown says this is especially true when buying and selling horses, which can play a major role in establishing your credibility.
“Be honest about a horse’s abilities,” he said. “I’ve seen buyers with a lower budget rush to buy something that won’t make them happy in the long run. I’ve also seen buyers with endless budgets buy more horse than they can handle. Neither customer will be happy in either of those cases. Getting the right horse and being honest about it is a win-win that keeps customers around and allows them to trust you.”
“We treat all our owners the same,” Hanson shared. “Whether they spend a certain amount on a weekend-type horse or a little more on a more competitive horse, everyone gets the same treatment in our barn.”
A feel of equality builds community and can also help keep dreaded barn drama in check.
“We try to make our barn environment one that supports everyone equally,” Brown said. “We discourage—and don’t really allow—drama. All the youth riders are expected to pitch in, practice, clean stalls, and participate in their horses’ care on the same level. All the owners and non pros receive the same level of customer service.”
Read the rest of this article at the links above.
