Ask Katie: How can we improve our client retention rate?

Image by Monkey Business - stock.adobe.com, illustration work by Roxy Townsend.

In 2019 we really want to focus on our client retention efforts. Do you have any recommendations?

I really love the three R's of client retention as discussed by Marsha Heinke in Practice Made Perfect. The three R's are recall, remind and re-appoint. The premise is that before any client leaves your practice one of these three things should happen. Either a recall should be scheduled to prompt a follow-up phone call, a reminder should be created or updated for future services, or a re-check appointment should be scheduled. If one of these three things happens with every client interaction, then you ensure that clients maintain contact with your practice.

My personal addition to this concept is value. Make sure you are surveying your clients to keep a pulse on their overall satisfaction with your practice's services. Additionally, consider polling clients when you're contemplating a change that will affect them, like offering a new service or changing your hours. This extra step will demonstrate you care about how your decisions affect your clients, which will further bond them to your practice. 

Katie Adams, CVPM, is owner and management consultant at Agrygation Consulting.