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Draw up your customer file

First of all, put together your customer file

Your chances of making new sales are greatest on your own file. But a good customer file is not just a simple list of names and addresses. For you to be able to exploit it efficiently, it must be expanded with the history of your relations with your customers, as well as information concerning them. Seize every opportunity to enter information so that your customer file progressively becomes a real database, allowing you to make precise selections and take effective action..

What is a database (customer file)?

A database is a tool in which you can store data in a structured way with as little superfluous information as possible. These data are shared, updated and used by your company to follow your customers' purchases and pilot your creations (mailshots, follow-ups, transfers...) with them.

You can manage your file on computer, of course. According to the number of addresses and your means (budget, internal skills...), you can use different types of software, available in shops or on Internet and compatible with most computers.

Computer software which allows you to put together, manage and expand your base is called a spreadsheet.

The spreadsheets that are currently in use and most common:

There is more specific and more specialized software (eg. geomarketing software) for carrying out well-targeted actions; the marketing companies can explain in detail the particularities and advantages.

How can you put your customer file together?

There are two types of information you need to put your file together

a) « Descriptive » data
For your customers/private individuals :

• Title, First name, Surname
• Address, Postcode, Town, Country
• Telephone
• E-mail
• Etc.…

 For your customers/companies:

• Corporate name
• Address, Postcode, Town, Country
• Sector of activity (NACE code)
• Telephone, Fax
• E-mail
• Workforce
• Turnover
• Siret number (in France)
• VAT number in the European Community
• Etc.…

b) « Personal/behavioral » data (they concern private individuals)

• Date of birth
• Profession
• Income category
• Marital status
• Owner/tenant
• Etc.…

However, it is not necessary to accumulate information, especially when you are starting to put the file together. It is better to begin with a few items then expand progressively with the criteria you consider to be relevant.

Example :  For a company that manufactures and sells: the date of creation, the particularities of the company, its financial health...etc., can be items to take into account when expanding the file.

Your main tool for developing customer loyalty, as you have understood, is your contact file.

Secondly, you now want to expand your customer file with precious information concerning them..., this is how you go about it.

Use the information available within your company.

Beyond the essential information we have seen above, other information will help you to optimize communication when developing customer loyalty by refining the profile of your customers.

For example:

• Purchases made (amount, date, items...)
• The means of payment used (cheque, credit card, cash, immediate payment or credit...)
• The contacts/relations established (complaints, After-sales service...)
• Customers who have a loyalty card... etc.

All this very important information appears in your accounting system for the most part. You just have to spot it and integrate it in your customer file. This new information will allow you to send your customers truly personalized messages.

Record the contacts, offers, proposals that you make your customers

For example :

• Mailshots sent (date)
• Newspapers/newsletters sent (date, reading rate...)
• Events (invitations, appeals, participation...)…etc.

Once recorded, this information will bring your file to life and allow you to establish real "customer relations".