Winning back customers who no longer come: the method for business owners
In every shop, regular customers disappear without warning: sometimes a move, but most often a habit that fades or a competitor opening next door. Good news: some of them come back if you ask at the right time, with the right message. Here's how.
Why winning back costs less than recruiting
A customer who already knows you doesn't need convincing about the quality of your products. They just need a reminder. Bringing back a past customer takes far less effort and budget than winning a new one through advertising.
Our guide on the value of a loyal customer shows how much a returning customer brings in.
Spot inactive customers
A customer is "inactive" when they go well past their usual visit pace. The right timeframe depends on your business:
- Bakery, café: 2 to 3 weeks without a visit.
- Restaurant, butcher: 4 to 6 weeks.
- Hairdresser, beauty salon: 8 to 12 weeks.
With a paper card, there's no way of knowing. With a digital card, the date of the last visit is known, and the list of customers to win back builds itself.
The right time to follow up
Follow up as soon as the customer goes past their usual pace, not six months later: the longer the absence, the more the habit is lost.
Also pick the right time of day: late morning for a lunchtime restaurant, the day before the weekend for a florist, early in the week for a hairdresser with free slots. Our guide to filling off-peak hours goes further.
The message that brings them back
A good win-back message is short, personal and concrete:
- Personal: use the customer's first name and the shop's name.
- Friendly: “It's been a while!” works better than an aggressive promotion.
- With a reason to come back: something new, a seasonal product, or a small time-limited treat.
Example: “Hi Marie, it's been a while! Strawberry cakes are back this week. A coffee is waiting for you with your next purchase, until Sunday.”
An offer, yes, but single-use
A win-back offer must be personal and non-transferable, otherwise it gets passed around and no longer measures anything. A single-use code or QR code, valid for a few days, tells you exactly how many customers came back thanks to the reminder.
Respect your customers (and the law)
- Follow up with their consent: notifications enabled by the customer, or explicit consent for email and SMS (see GDPR and loyalty cards).
- A reminder, not harassment: just one reminder per period of absence, then leave them be.
- A simple way to stop: an unsubscribe link in every email, notification settings on the phone.
Measure the result
Count how many re-engaged customers come back within 7 days, and how many visits that adds up to over the month. It's the only metric that matters.
FidèlPro automates the whole process: spotting inactive customers, reaching out at the right time, and counting each month the customers who came back and the revenue they represent.