2.2.3 Customer Retention and Acquisition
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CUSTOMER RETENTION AND ACQUISITION

Retention and acquisition are two key components of running a business providing products and services.

Retention

Retention is “The ability of a company to keep its customers, rather than losing them.”
(Cambridge Dictionary, 2020)

Why is retention important?

Retention should be a crucial focus when operating a swim school. Good retention ensures customers stay with you throughout their child/ren’s or their own swimming and water safety journey. It is critical to retain your loyal customers from a business perspective as it allows you to maintain income and minimise expenditure in advertising and promotion costs which comes with seeking new customers.

Customer and swim teacher retention plays a vital role in swim school reputation and success.

The benefits of retention include:

  • Program growth.
  • Lower acquisition/marketing expenses.
  • Improved financial return.
  • Increased consistency in student attendance.
  • A positive and successful swim school reputation.

The steps to successful customer retention are:

  • Provide a quality program with both swimming and water safety components (The Swim and Survive Program)
  • Build positive relationships with parents/carers and students.
  • Be responsive to customer feedback and concerns.
  • Regular customer and staff communication.
  • Student progression and a pathway for development.
  • Swim teacher retention and quality teaching.
  • Positive and comfortable learning environment – inviting, safe, warm and clean.
Acquisition

Acquisition refers to the attainment of new customers. The aim of an acquisition campaign is to market your program and gain new customers and students.

Why is acquisition important?

Gaining new customers is important to maintain and increase growth in the swim school. As students get older, move away or find other pursuits, class vacancies become available. Ideally, class vacancies should be limited and filled as soon as possible for two key reasons:

  1. To ensure as many students are given the opportunity to learn vital skills and knowledge required to be safer in water and assist in drowning prevention.
  2. To ensure the swim school maintains financial returns, employment and growth.

The benefits of acquisition include:

  • Continuous delivery of swimming and water safety education to as many students as possible.
  • Consistent financial return.
  • Swim school expansion and growth.
  • Reduced expenditure on advertising and promotion.
  • Increased employment opportunities.
  • Swim school success and positive reputation.
  • Links effectively with the swim school’s retention strategy and success.

The steps to a successful acquisition campaign are:

  • Define your target audience.
  • Decide on the right campaign channel e.g., social media, letter drop, shopping centre appearance etc.
  • Eye-catching or interest-sparking materials e.g., video marketing that show your Swim School program.
  • Giveaways and promotions that entice the customer to try your Swim School.
  • Increase visibility and keep communications regular and high quality.
  • Run a referral program e.g., invite a friend to join the Swim School.
Staying Safe
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