Getting website traffic and sales simply isn’t enough in
this day and age. Both e-commerce and brick and mortar stores need to be doing
everything they can to create an experience that leads to customers who aren’t
only happy, but loyal. You’re looking for customers who will shop from you
again and again while also recommending you to their friends and family.
Today we have some easy, concrete ways you can create those
loyal customers, and it won’t even take that much extra work!
1. Think About Your Own Loyalty
What brands and businesses are you
loyal to, and why? Is it the quality of their product? How does the company
treat you? Last time you had a problem with the service, what did the company
do about it? Go even farther by thinking about what you wish companies would do
for you. Take notes, because this is exactly what you want to be doing for your
own customers.
2. Show What Your Company Stands For
Customers aren’t necessarily loyal
to brands only for what they offer in terms of products and services, but for
what those brands stand for and believe in. This doesn’t mean you have to take
a strong political stance, it simply means you must show that your brand stands
for something.
Airbnb focuses on the experiences
of hosts and guests all across the world, helping people find ways to integrate
themselves into the local communities of places they visit. Burt’s Bees offers
natural care products that promote healthy living, while also showcasing its
dedication to sustainability. Make sure customers know what your company cares
about to build a loyal following.
3. Have a Positive Response to Negative
Customer Feedback
It is impossible to make every
single customer happy, but you can still create a satisfied customer by having
the right attitude when you receive negative feedback. Don’t allow yourself to
respond to your customer with an emotional, knee-jerk reaction.
Acknowledge the anger from the
customer in a professional manner, being sure to avoid accusatory language.
Offer an item exchange or discount when applicable. Outweigh the cost of losing
them as a customer, along with their negative feedback to their friends and
family, versus taking a temporary financial hit to see what is feasible.
4.
Use an
Engaging, Achievable Loyalty Program
Signing customers up for loyalty
programs certainly isn’t a new concept, but it is one that is often misused,
resulting in a waste of time and resources and a lack of customer loyalty. You
should absolutely create some sort of loyalty program, but you need to do it in
a way that actually inspires loyalty.
You’ll want to set a clear, simple
goal for customers for this loyalty program. You need to provide a clear finish
line to keep customers motivated. Many coffee shops offer a free drink after a
certain number of beverage purchases, and it works very well. Figure out how
you can use your unique products to create a reward that customers will love.
5.
Be
Patient
Nothing turns a customer off more
than a representative who seems in a rush to end a conversation. Maybe you’re
simply in a bad mood or maybe you are overwhelmed by tasks, but you should give
every customer the same, unrushed attention.
If you called in with a question
about the shipping of your product, you’d be pretty irritated if the representative
you spoke to gave you a corporate answer in a two minute phone call. You may
choose not to shop with them again. Don’t let this happen.
6.
Make
Communication Easy
Your customers shouldn’t have to
go on an epic quest to find contact information. This information should be
both easy to find and convenient for your customer. Automated phone lines are
very unpopular, so if you need to have one make it simple. Offer live chat or
even video chat when you can. And don’t forget to respond to social media
messages.
You always want to pay attention
to your customer service hours. If your phone lines are only open during
business hours, it’s going to be difficult for many customers to get in contact
with you. If customers do have to email or leave a message, make sure you get
back to them as soon as possible.
7.
Be
Consistent
Whether you’re dealing with
long-time customers or brand new prospective ones, the experience should be
consistently excellent for each person.
You should take strides to ensure
the same levels of service across all aspects of your company, including
customer service, returns, communication, and storefronts. If a customer has a
fantastic experience chatting online with a staff member only to be told
something different over a phone call, they’re less likely to remain loyal.
8.
Pay
Attention to Details
The little things really do matter
when it comes to customer service. There’s tons of small details you can use to
impress your customers, at very little or no cost to you. Including a
handwritten note in a shipment, offering free coffee at a brick-and-mortar
store, and checking in with customers during the buying process can all leave
customers feeling valued and appreciated.
Take a look at what your
competitors are doing and think about what your customers want. Once you’ve
done that, find ways to stand out with details your competitors aren’t using.
9.
Get
Personal
It is easier than ever to
personalize a person’s shopping experience through email, mobile alerts, and
more. Customers want to feel like you care about them, and there’s no better
way to do that than to acknowledge your repeat customers.
There are a few ways you can do
this; acknowledge how many times a visitor has shopped with you, offer
suggestions of products based on items they’ve already bought, give them a
coupon based on previous purchases…there’s tons of ways to make your customer
feel valued!
10.
Never
Break a Promise
Never promise something that you
can’t deliver. If you promise something and don’t deliver, customers are not
going to be happy. If a customer is unhappy they’re likely to tell friends and
family about the bad experience they’ve had.
In fact, you should try to
over-deliver on your promises when you can. When you exceed expectations
customers are likely to tell you about friends and family for good reasons.
