Nurture customers from day one

LOOKING after clients you already have is far more important than trying to lure new business.

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LOOKING after clients you already have is far more important than trying to lure new business.

Walter Scremin, the general manager of national transport and logistics firm Ontime Group, has run his family-owned business for 30 years and says half of his business is from existing clients.

"We find 50 per cent of our growth is organic growth and is from within our existing clients and the other 50 per cent is from new business," he says.

"If we had to make a choice between satisfying an existing client or getting a new one, we would satisfy the existing client every day of the week.

"From a growth point of view, we have long-term relationships that go back in excess of 20 years."

Ontime Group expanded from its Melbourne base to other locations nationwide, including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, and has 18 staff and 350 contractors.

Scremin says his business has continued to grow, even through tough times such as the global financial crisis, by nurturing clients from the beginning of dealings with them, which he believes is the secret to success.

"When you get a client, you do everything you can to assist them in bringing them on board," he says.

"I think too many people focus on trying to get the next sale rather than worrying about nurturing and maximising potential with existing clients.

"You always need new sales because businesses close ... so you're going to lose business no matter how good you are. But if you take care with your clients, then that growth will continue to occur."