Build Customer Loyalty In 4 Steps
If you're a flower - you want to 'build customer loyalty' to ensure the bees and butterflies return to you, time and time again. And if you're a bee or butterfly - it's great when a flower provides exactly what you need ... consistently. It's the same with businesses and customers.
If you're a business - you want to build customer loyalty to ensure your customers return to you, time and time again. And if you're a customer - it's great when a brand, business or company knows exactly what you like and what you need, and comes up with relevant recommendations, consistently. Those businesses know how to build customer loyalty - and you should do the same.
In an age when customers have access to vast amounts of data about a company, their products, their competitors and online reviews - if you can successfully build customer loyalty - your customers will spread the word. Loyalty is an important source of competitive advantage. Success relies on you providing 'customer delight' ... and then using your digital presence to ensure your customers tell their friends about their delight.
For example, Amazon is famous for its personalisation and has been using product curation and recommendation algorithms for many years. It's known to be one of the first to work heavily in this space and we, as entrepreneurs and business owners, can learn from the giant's actions.
Amazon has worked hard to understand its consumers through data and makes recommendations based on numerous factors. We business owners need to understand our customers and make sure our products and services meet our customer's needs and expectations.
Customers want to purchase from companies that understand their needs and make them feel as if they and their time are valuable. If you can get it right you will build customer loyalty and your customers will keep coming back over and over again - just like a bee to a flower.
Here are 4 steps which will help you build customer loyalty, whatever your business:
1. Collect information about your customers
- as much as you can
The more information you have about each customer, the better you'll be able to service that customer and provide the most relevant experience for them. Understanding each customer and providing what they need/want, is the key to loyalty.
Check your CRM system (customer relationship management) to ensure your customer profiles are as robust and thorough as they can be. If they're not comprehensive - start collecting data at each interaction ... particularly during their online journey, where collecting data and monitoring behaviour is relatively easy to do.
By collecting and analysing customer data, you'll be able to start predicting customer behaviour - which will help you to know what to offer them - and when to offer it.
2. Empower employees and listen to them
If you want customers to be happy with your business, empower your employees in their interactions with them. Employees are the front line of your business and can help you understand your customers' needs better than any other route of information gathering. They have two ears - so encourage them to use them well. Encourage your team to get to know your customers.
Decide whether your customers are relational or transactional - and act accordingly.
When employees have the authority to resolve issues immediately, customers will appreciate the responsiveness and return for more positive experiences. Consequently, encourage employees to listen to customers carefully - and you then need to listen to what your employees say about your customers' experiences. Don't undervalue the customer's opinion and point of view … AND … your employee's opinion and point of view. It is all valuable information.
When you do something right - listen and do it again.
When you do something wrong - listen - change and improve
- and make sure your customer knows you've changed.
3. Engage in real-time interactions
Online customers expect that you can provide what they need, when they need it, at any time of the day. Try to operate with real-time information, so that each interaction is more authentic and relevant. Careful automation is the key.
Introducing artificial intelligence [AI] into the mix can help you collect even greater knowledge on each customer at each touch point and can help provide an excellent customer journey. AI can help with automated responses in real-time so that customers receive the support they need any time of the day or night - and your business will be positively positioned for further interactions.
Consider the use of AI via chatbots and other forms of web chat software.
However, be cautious not to rely heavily on AI to the point where it takes the place of your other personalised interactions. AI is still in its infancy and having a full conversation with the customer is better human-to-human, currently. (And personally, I don't think AI will ever replace YOU.)
4. Delight your customers
Most companies do their best to provide excellent products and/or services for their customers. But taking the extra steps towards customer delight humanises your transactions and shows them how important THEY are to your company.
For online customers, the best way to humanise the digital experience and build customer loyalty is to proactively reach out to customers. Use your subscriber lists proactively. Ensure you acknowledge your customer's value to your business and make sure they know YOU care.
And for face-to-face customers, the best way to build customer loyalty is to talk with them and listen ... really listen. Take a genuine interest in them. Ask them about why they come to you. Take note - then take action.
Conclusion
Today all businesses should have a clear data strategy - and that data should be managed proactively and effectively. Using that data to create effective personalisation strategies is imperative within any digital strategy.
Keeping interactions real and authentic plays a paramount role in customer experience and should take priority in every business that wants to build customer loyalty and grow repeat sales.
If you'd like to discuss Customer Loyalty with me - Book a Quick Consultation