Clients are a world, and you tend to classify them when you have already dealt with many. There are many types of clients, and you have to know how to treat each one. Once we are in the market, clients will appear. They will be transformed, consolidated, and even disappear. It is crucial to keep in attention that a client is a person who buys from us and anyone who needs that your company can cover. This article will talk about the types of clients and everything you need to know to treat them and keep them satisfied. So if you want to know what clients are coming to you and what to do when you have them in front of you, stay here.
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Different Classifications of the Types of Customers of a Company
Customers can be classify in many ways. There are many theories about the types of customers. We will know the classification according to two criteria: status and personality. The classification criteria according to level are handy for proper management to obtain higher sales and growth results for the company. We could say that it is a way of classifying clients based almost solely on the money they contribute. On the other hand, typing customers by their personality can give many clues to know how to behave with them, get their loyalty and that they can recommend us to other people.
Types of Clients According to Their Status
We begin with one of the most classic and, at the same time, most clarifying customer classifications. In it, we distinguish 5 types of clients.
Current customers: are those who make purchases regularly. You could say that they are the ones who support your business.
Active customers: these customers make purchases relatively frequently or have recently purchased in a time set by the company. Some put these clients and current clients in the same group.
Inactive customers: These customers have bought but have not done so for a long time. These buyers have made their purchases outside the period established by the company.
Potential clients: curiously, they are call clients since they have never bought from the company. They have not bought, but they have been interested in asking for information, requesting budgets, and having purchasing power to buy.
Prospective customers: This type of customer has never bought from the company or expressed an interest in doing so. However, due to their characteristics, they could become future buyers.
As you can see from the definitions, this classification is governe by the variable time. Imagine that we take a year as a reference. We can study how many clients have bought from us in a year and how many have asked for a quote but have not bought. But if we take another time, the results will be different.
1. What Kind of Active Clients Can we Find?
We can distinguish three types of active customers: frequent purchasers, influencers and satisfied customers. We do not have to pigeonhole a client into a subgroup. On the contrary, they can have characteristics even of the three subgroups.
Frequent Purchase Customers
They are those who make their purchases very often in the company. It is vital not to neglect the relationship with these customers.
Satisfied Customers
They are those who perceive their purchases and the company according to their expectations. We can also find satisfied customers within this group who feel that your company and your product have exceeded their expectations. These customers are unwilling to switch brands but might if they find something better.
Influential Customers
They can influence other people in buying or not buying from the company, so they must be satisfied. Even companies pay them to use the product and make recommendations.
2. How can we Classify Inactive Customers?
The most immediate way to classify inactive customers is by considering why they have stopped buying . It can be for 3 reasons:
- Because they no longer need the product.
- Because they have gone to the competition.
- Because they are dissatisfied.
These customers do not have to be lost. You can look for a sales policy to attract them back or reward them for poor service.
Types of Clients According to their Personality.
In addition to the purchasing activity they carry out in the company, customers can also be classified by their attitude when making the purchase decision. According to this classification, we can find the following types of clients:
Friendly Customers
They are friendly and kind, although sometimes they can talk too much. It is recommend to treat them well, trying to redirect them towards the purchase decision. If we do not see it as possible, it is best not to waste too much time.
Difficult Clients
They are demanding clients who always find defects and believe they are always right. Offering alternatives is recommend to offer the best customer service without taking away their reason.
Shy Customers
They are introverted people who do not usually decide on a purchase. That they are shy does not mean that they are stupid, and they can become a future dissatisfied client. It is recommended to help them decide, motivating them to purchase by listing the benefits of the product. You should never try to take advantage of it.
Conclusion
A client is somebody who buys goods or pays for services. As opposed to customers, clients regularly have an arrangement or a relationship with the seller. Companies and other organizations may also remain clients.
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