How to win back inactive customers with a phone call

Why are inactive customers worth a call?

Inactive customers are people who bought from you once, placed a small order or simply stopped ordering. Never decide they are not worth calling. They already know your business, which makes them far easier to sell to than a stranger.

An inactive account may not justify a visit, but it always justifies a phone call. The hard part is usually fear. You worry they will say they have moved to a competitor, or that they had a bad experience with you. Jenny's answer is to change the emotion of fear into care. When you call because you genuinely care how they are going, you find sales opportunities you never thought were possible.

Even the bad news is valuable. If they moved to another supplier, you need to know why so you can improve. If they had a poor experience, you need to know so you can put it right before they tell 40 other people.

What should you avoid saying on a win-back call?

Two openings kill a win-back call before it starts:

• "You bought [product] from us last year and I was wondering if you'd like to buy more this year?"
• "You haven't done any business with us recently."

The first is a sales pitch with nothing in it for them. The second sounds like an accusation. A vague "How are you going?" is little better, because it gives the customer nothing to talk about. Instead, open warmly, show you remember them and ask a question about their future.

A win-back script that starts a conversation

Every question begins with what, where, why, which, who, when or how, so the customer cannot answer with a flat yes or no. When they answer, repeat back what they said so they know you listened. Only then talk about what is new in your business and what you can now offer. Jenny's bank of questions to use on a telephone sales call gives you plenty more.

When the customer was unhappy or has moved to a competitor

If they had a bad experience

1. 1

   Ask what happened

   Say "What happened?" and then be quiet and listen. Do not defend or explain yet.

2. 2

   Acknowledge it straight away

   "I'm sorry to hear that happened." Then repeat back what they told you, so they know you heard every word.

3. 3

   Put it right

   Suggest a way to make up for it, or explain why it will not happen again, and get their agreement.

4. 4

   Then move forward

   Only once the air is clear, tell them about your new products and services.

Better still, never let it get that far. If there is an error with a delivery or an account, call the customer as soon as you know, before they have to call you.

If they have gone to another supplier

Find out what they like about the new supplier and what they would change. Ask "What made you choose them?" and "In an ideal world, what could they do better?" Then put both answers together: "What if we could give you [what you like about them] and [what you wish they did]? You might like a quote from us next time, mightn't you?" If they raise concerns, the techniques in how to handle objections will help.

Customer retention calls that stop customers drifting away

Winning customers back is good. Keeping them is better. The secret is to think about how you can help them rather than sell to them, and to stay in touch without becoming a pest who only rings when it wants an order.

Jenny learned this first hand during a recession, when her training work slowed. She called past in-house clients and asked them strategic questions about their sales. Many realised what they were missing and hired her to write sales systems and call scripts. That consulting work replaced the training she had lost.

Contrast that with a supplier Jenny had bought from for four years. When she went back for more, she was told she had been removed from their database because she had not ordered for 180 days. Nobody had called to ask why. That is a great way to lose business.

• Review your notes and ring with something useful, such as an article about a challenge they mentioned last time.
• Tell them about government or industry changes that affect them.
• Send a special offer chosen for that customer, not your whole list.
• Invite them to a networking event, or give them a referral.
• Thank them for their business with a surprise gift or a personal call.

How do you make customers feel valued on the phone?

Customers rarely leave because of price alone. They drift away when they stop feeling valued. On a ski holiday in the United States, Jenny stayed at a hotel where the receptionist raced out every time she arrived to take her skis and help with her heavy boots, always with something friendly to chat about. It was not part of his job. It made her feel special, and it is the reason she would go back again and again.

You can create the same feeling on a phone call:

• Give your name, use theirs, and mention something you remember from your notes.
• Call back exactly when you said you would.
• Acknowledge a complaint straight away, before they tell everyone they know.
• Recommend the option that is right for them, even if it earns you a little less.
• Stay warm and professional rather than overly familiar.

These habits build the kind of trust described in how to build rapport on the phone, and they make your next follow-up call something the customer is glad to take.

Use the end of the year to reconnect

December is a chance to be even more active on the phone, while competitors go quiet. Jenny's year-end plan has three parts:

1. Call your best clients to thank them personally, give them your best tip for next year and wish them a happy Christmas.
2. Ask how you can help them next year, offering at least three suggestions.
3. Call everyone you sent a quote to this year. Many have simply been too busy to reply.

If you cannot reach someone after a couple of tries, leave a friendly voicemail (see how to turn voicemail into an opportunity) and follow with a short, honest email: "I haven't heard back since sending your quote on [date], which usually means one of three things. You've chosen another supplier, you're still interested but haven't had time to reply, or the timing isn't right. Could you let me know which it is?" You will be surprised how many stalled conversations it revives.

Jenny walks through this and much more in How to Triple Your Sales by Phone, her complete 4 hour sales workshop on video and audio.