1. Never before have technological tools for winning back lost customers been more available or affordable. From e-mails to off-line direct mail services ordered online, a host of new tools are emerging to help you reconnect with lost customers.

2. In any market space, there is a limited number of best customers so you need to keep yours close. In All Customers Are Not Created Equal, Garth Hallberg points out that "for most categories (of business), one third of the buyers account for at least two-thirds of the volume. The ‘high-profit segment’ generally delivers six to ten times as much profit as the low-profit segment. Moreover, they are critical, not only because of their profit contribution, but also because of their relatively small number."

3. Win-back programs can give you a real competitive edge. A combination of strong acquisition, retention and win-back programs can help you bullet proof your firm against competitive attacks. Conversely, if your competitor gets strong win-back programs in place before you do, your chances for recapturing and keeping the best customers are reduced considerably. In many things in life, there is true advantage to being first. Win-back programs are no exception.

Source: Customer WinBack: How to Recapture Lost Customers and Keep Them Loyal by Jill Griffin and Michael Lowenstein