Corporate hospitality

News: March 2011

Corporate hospitality

In today’s cut-throat, hyper competitive marketplace it is more important than ever to look after your clients. If your clients feel that you care about them, they are less likely to go and look for a new supplier. So, what can you do for them to give them a warm, fuzzy feeling?

Bring them on a day out!

It does require a budget (and budgets are hard to come-by these days) but corporate hospitality is an investment rather than an expenditure. The return on investment being customer loyalty, repeat business and referrals. If budgets are really tight you could consider hosting an Open Day at your office.

An Open Day

Schedule a day in the year that all of your clients are welcomed into the office. They can speak to all members of the team and speak to each other to exchange experiences. This is especially good for an industry that doesn’t usually deal with face to face contact – for example web design firms, where most contact is via email or telephone. Ensure that you have booked a day when most of your staff are in the office, and make sure you’ve investigated the parking options for your clients. Schedule in some seminars so you can show your clients what you do and demonstrate your expertise. Don’t forget to give them something for free – a good “Business Tips” seminar tends to do the trick. Finally, don’t forget the food and drink!

Corporate Hospitality

An alternative would be to invest in corporate hospitality. This is perhaps a more grand gesture and gives the clients a “non educational” day out – they don’t find out much more about your company but they certainly feel spoiled and your firm will build a stronger relationship with its clients as a result. Whether you bring clients to a rugby match or wine tasting, ensure the source of your package is reputable and a reliable member of staff has been tasked with being “hands on” for the event.

Whether you choose an Open Day in your office or a hospitality package, your clients are going to be happy and appreciative. As we all know, happy clients remain loyal and refer business if they can.