This post summarizes the top 15 behaviors that businesses do to turn clients away... Unknowingly.
That's why I call them "silent killers of client retention".
The key to improving retention is being aware.
Without awareness... The business can't address the issue.
Why would someone fix a problem if they don't know there's a problem?
If this is the first time you've come across my work...
Just know that I only solve problems at the root cause.
I don't prescribe painkillers for symptomatic relief.
Because addressing symptoms superficially doesn't help the business.
It will only lead to more serious consequences in the long run.
And I only speak the truth.
I'm not like many marketers who say things just to sell more of their stuff.
I'm more keen to genuinely help you solve your problems... REAL problems.
With that... Let's dive in.
I'll list and explain each point.
Each one is based on principles of human behavior.
They aren't just theory.
They are happening every day as we speak.
No one likes to be lied to.
No one likes to do business with dishonest businesses.
When businesses lie to their audience... Trust collapses.
Notice I didn't say "Trust erodes"?
No. Trust collapses.
And it's irreversible.
Since the Retention Formula is:
No trust = No sale = No retention.
Trust leaks are seeds of retention failure.
When businesses use fake scarcity and urgency to boost sales...
People feel manipulated.
No one likes to be manipulated.
Eventually, they stop responding to countdown timers.
And they'll look for alternatives from competitors.
They want to buy from businesses that make them feel safe, not manipulated.
Manipulation is a form of extraction to feed the business's interest.
Overpromising raises people's expectations before the sale.
It means promising something that the business can't fulfill.
Many businesses do this to attract and acquire new clients.
New clients lose trust when what's delivered is different from what's promised.
This usually doesn't work for existing clients.
Existing clients who experienced disappointment stop trusting and eventually leave.
This usually happens in conjunction with #3.
But not necessarily.
A business can underdeliver even without overpromising.
They can make a promise that they genuinely can deliver.
But a lack of effort and lack of care for clients can lead to underdelivering.
When clients sense the business is just going through the motions...
They start wondering if the business is really committed to helping them.
They eventually leave for a better service provider.
Ever heard of marketers saying, "The money is in the list"?
They're referring to the email list.
When businesses treat their email list as an ATM... The list burns out.
Imagine receiving an email a day trying to sell you stuff.
I've also seen some marketers who sent multiple emails in a day.
In case you're wondering what I mean by "The list burns out".
It means the people stop responding to the emails.
They're sick of being sold to.
They just tune out.
They stop opening the emails.
They have lost Trust in Intention.
They lose emotional investment in the business and leave.
I've experienced this first hand.
I now have more than 50,000 unread emails.
Many are from marketers.
I don't read most of them now.
People like to be served, not sold.
If you're showing up every day to sell...
People can recognize patterns.
They start to associate your appearance with selling.
They'll feel you're prioritizing Extraction > Service.
That's a trust leak.
Accumulated trust leaks = Retention failure.
Trust is the foundation of all human relationships.
Without trust, relationships break down.
This applies in business too.
People buy from businesses they trust.
Once the business betrays people's trust...
People leave.
People lose faith in the business.
And they're very unlikely to come back.
No one likes to feel stupid.
When a business makes their clients feel stupid...
Clients experience a decrease in status.
Why would someone want to stay with a business that provides such a negative experience?
Here's what I experienced before:
I was part of a group coaching. I paid every month.
Later, I realized the mentor frequently ran ads for the coaching sessions.
He used it as a lead-generation event.
Which means... The public can frequently attend for free.
Why should I continue to pay for it then?
I felt stupid and left the coaching group.
There's no meaning for me to continue paying.
Many businesses tend to obsess with client acquisition.
Ask any business what they want...
Many will say, "I want more clients".
And so they keep chasing new clients...
While the existing clients get neglected and forgotten.
When existing clients don't feel valued... They leave.
When businesses operate from a Profits > People philosophy...
Profit maximization takes priority.
They may spend most resources on marketing and sales.
But they may stop focusing on their quality of service and product.
They may stop creating value for their audience.
Once the audience stops finding value... They leave.
There's no more meaning in staying.
Every business needs clients and customers.
Businesses don't fill their own wallets.
But sometimes, founders get arrogant and complacent when they start tasting success.
Money amplifies a person's true self.
When they start treating people like crap...
Obviously, people leave.
People pay businesses to solve problems.
They pay to remove the pain in their lives.
They pay to achieve what they aspire to become.
They didn't sign up to be verbally and emotionally abused.
They didn't sign up to be manipulated.
This is a major trust leak.
Trust in Character will be lost.
Friedman's Doctrine states that businesses should always maximize their revenue to increase returns for shareholders.
This is in line with the Profits > People philosophy.
It's about Extraction > Service.
This goes against human behavior.
People lose trust when they feel extracted.
They lose Trust in Intention.
People leave when trust is lost.
Clients buy when they feel safe and trust the business.
After buying, they feel hopeful that their problems will be solved.
When businesses ghost their clients after collecting payment...
Clients feel uneasy.
They start wondering if they've been scammed.
They may feel anxious about what's going to happen next.
This is a major trust leak.
Communicating frequently with clients is key to sustaining trust.
When trust isn't sustained...
Retention fails.
Across the entire customer journey, the customer will meet problems.
They'll have questions to ask.
They'll ask for help.
If they don't receive the help they need after approaching customer service...
Trust in the business is eroded.
They'll feel that the product or service they paid for isn't worth their money.
It's just a matter of time before they say, "Enough is enough!"
And they finally leave.
Everyone likes to be seen and heard.
When the audience feels that the business doesn't even care to ask for feedback...
They start doubting the business's intention.
They start wondering if the business is committed to helping them.
Eventually, they leave.
It's important to conduct surveys and get feedback at the right time...
It allows the business to understand their audience more deeply.
The business can uncover what needs to be improved in their products or services.
Without feedback... The business tends to find themselves creating things that the market didn't ask for.
That can result in huge financial losses.
Incorporating suggestions in the products and services gives the audience a sense of ownership.
It also gives them a sense of contribution.
They feel it's meaningful to stay.
Now you've seen all 15 silent killers of client retention.
You should have realized they fall into 2 categories.
Either it leads to a loss of trust...
Or it leads to a loss of meaning.
Because Trust + Meaning = Retention
Take some time to reflect in your own business.
Which silent killer(s) is/are still actively happening every day?
Address them one at a time.
So it's more manageable.
And you'll most likely see positive changes in retention.
If you like to have a business where people are happy and willingly want to stay with...
Prioritize People > Profits.
Always.
- Herek
P.S. If you'd like to explore more of my Client Retention content...
Feel free to follow me on the following platforms:
- LinkedIn.
- YouTube.
If you'd like to have a peek at my personal life...
I post more personal stuff on:
P.P.S. In case you missed it... Read the Client Retention Top 10 FAQs HERE. Then you'll understand our philosophy behind everything we do.
I look forward to sharing more with you in the next post.
If you enjoyed reading this post... Feel free to check out the other posts!
#8: What Is The Retention Architecture Model: The 3 Layers Explained
#9: The Hidden Costs Of Ignoring Retention Principles (No One Talks About This)
#10: Why Clients Still Leave Despite Enjoying Great Service?
#11: Why Have Traditional Marketing Tactics Lost Effectiveness?
#13: Why Businesses Lose Clients: The Hidden Role Of Trust Leaks
#16: Where Does Client Trust Break Down? The Trust Leak Stages Explained
#17: Why Tactical Optimization Can't Fix Weak Business Foundations
#18: What Should Consultants Do When Clients Insist On Their Ideas?
#21: Why Do Clients Request A Refund? (It's Not What You Think)
#22: Case Study 1 - How Retention Principles Saved A Marriage...
#25: Read This If You Use AI In Business (It's Killing Client Retention... And More)
#29: How To Increase Client Lifetime Value Using Retention Principles
#30: Why Most Client Retention Tactics Don't Work (And What Actually Does)
#31: Why Business Partnerships Fail (And How Retention Principles Fix It)
#32: How To Increase Client Retention (Without Contracts & Loyalty Programs)
#33: Planned Obsolescence: How Software Updates Quietly Profit From Your Trust
#34: The Retention Architecture System: How All The Frameworks Come Together
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