The best way to sustain your trade business is by building strong relationships with your clients, so they continuously want to keep coming back for more.
While part of running a trade business is about providing good quality service and having expert knowledge to solve problems; the other part is focused on establishing trust and encouraging repeat business.
In an industry where competition is high, having returning clients is crucial for future growth.
What is client retention?
Client retention is the rate at which your existing customers will continue to return to your business when they need work done, instead of switching to a competitor. It’s all about keeping people coming back.
A high client retention rate means that a large portion of your clients keeps returning back to you. Instead of going to a competitor, they’re satisfied with the quality of work or services you are providing and want to continue supporting you.
Having repeat business leads to higher growth rates and more internal referrals, which in turn, enhances your reputation and credibility. The more online reviews your company has, the more clicks your website will receive. The more referrals you gain, the more clients flooding in. It's a win-win: you have more work, and your clients have someone consistent to rely on.
How does client retention impact the trade industry?
In the trade industry, maintaining high client retention is essential. Many trade businesses start small within their local communities and grow by consistently gaining new clients. Client retention is particularly crucial because these businesses rely heavily on repeat business to keep them afloat.
A key benefit of the trade industry is the direct, face-to-face interactions between tradespeople and their clients. This interaction offers tradies the opportunity to make a positive impression and build lasting relationships with each job. If a client likes the way you pay attention to detail, the professional knowledge you offer, or your work ethic, there’s a higher chance they’ll continue to bring you on for more work.
5 client retention strategies to implement
Tradies wondering how to keep clients coming back again and again, listen up! Here are our top 5 recommendations for retaining loyal and active clients:
- Personalise each client’s needs: When going into a new job, take the time to really understand the client's specific wants and needs, so you can remember the details and personalise the work to their standards. The better you perform, the higher chance you will have of repeat business.
- Consistent communication: Most clients appreciate regular updates on your projects. Whether it’s through an app, a phone call, or an in-person chat, consistent and honest communication is essential. The worst thing you can do is leave clients in the dark, especially if there are delays or issues. Keeping them informed helps prevent frustration.
- Act professional: To retain loyal clients, you need to prove to them that you are well suited for the job. This means planning appointment dates in advance, showing up early, dressing appropriately, and being prepared for your work. Showing commitment to the job and being courteous as you speak is crucial. Make sure to act professionally by respecting their preferences and listening to their concerns.
- Offer competitive pricing: There’s no doubt that the trade market is saturated, so offering competitive prices can help your company stand out. By pricing your services strategically—balancing affordability with quality—you can attract more clients and retain them over time. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your pricing to reflect market conditions and the value you provide ensures that you remain competitive and appealing. State your prices from the start to avoid any confusion or conflict.
- Ask for feedback and keep the relationship going: Once finished with the job, send over a couple follow up messages or emails to get feedback on the client’s level of satisfaction. Requesting feedback shows you value your clients’ opinions and that you’re not only committed to meeting their expectations but you also want to improve as well. If you have consistent company emails, business cards, or social media that you post on, share it with them so they can remember your business. Having your contact details makes it easy to refer you to others and contact you again for future projects.
Looking for a customer service review template? We have one built that you can download for free, right here!
Client retention = business success
At the end of the day, if you’re bringing consistent quality and following these strategies, there’s a high probability you’ll be able to build and maintain trust with a client for them to want to repeat business. Keep improving your skills, stay up to date with trends, and participate locally to increase your visibility in the trade industry.
How using Mira can help
Mira is here to assist tradies of all industries to efficiently manage their businesses.
When it comes to retaining clients, Mira offers less time spent on admin tasks, and more time present serving clients. In the Mira app, tradies can track their interactions, job preferences, appointment schedules and client data. Our app will also send automated reminders to both the tradie on the job and the client when an appointment is coming up or a new update is reported. Once finished with a job, Mira manages and accepts quotes and invoices online, making accounting and business management easier than ever before.
Interested in giving it a shot? Start a free unlimited-day trial and experience the ease yourself.