There are so many consumers who have stuck to the same brand for years. Most of them got introduced to the brand from childhood and grew up trusting the brand. As adults with family they introduced the same brand to members of their family.
Most of us got introduced to Peak milk, Omo detergent, Bournvita, Fanta drink, Maggi seasoning, Gala sausages, Thermocool, etcetera by our parents. Years after, our children saw us using them and now they are also using the same products.
Earning customer loyalty is not easy. It is not a day’s job. It entails a lot of sacrifices from the brand. As most marketers have experienced at some point, it is one thing to hook customers, another beast completely to retain them. Improving customer loyalty should be a priority, or those customers you worked so hard to convert could vanish before you even know what happened.
To avoid that, here are ways to better your company’s customer loyalty.
Share your values
To build a strong relationship with your customers, you have to share their values. In fact, shared values are ”far and away the largest driver.” If you want loyal customers, you need to tell them what your brand stands for.
Provide excellent customer service
Sounds obvious, right? But, it deserves mention again because excellent service is what creates lifelong customers, avoids negative word-of-mouth and differentiates you from the competition. But, how can you improve customer service? For starters, listen to customers and address their concerns a timely manner. Make it easy for customers to get in touch with a representative. Clearly display an email address, phone number and social media account. You have to “wow” them by going above and beyond.
Be transparent
There will be days when things don’t go as planned. Instead of denying the problem, be honest with your customers about the bad news.
Create a sense of community
With so many social media platforms, there is no excuse for not creating a community. Building customer loyalty is an effective way to start a conversation with your customers and encourage user-generated content. For example, you can ask customers to share pictures of them using your product and sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
Get their email addresses
One of the easiest ways to keep in touch with customers is through your email. Ask for addresses after completing purchases so you can keep customers updated on new products or follow-up with them after a sale to ask how was their experience. This information can be used to improve customer satisfaction and keep your current customers happy.
Exceed expectations
You’ve probably heard the cliché that businesses should “under promise and over deliver”. You can accomplish this by simply exceeding expectations. If you state a customer service rep will get back to the customer within 24 hours, and the rep gets in touch within six hours, that’s exceeding customer expectations. “Do what you say you’re going to do.”
Don’t neglect existing customers
It’s incredibly easy to forget your existing customers when you’re busy trying to reach new customers. To avoid frustrating your loyal customers, make sure that your product or service doesn’t diminish over time.
Have the right employees
Employees are extremely important for improving customer loyalty. Employees who buy into the culture are more likely to share their excitement with friends, family and customers that they’re assisting. Make sure your employees have the proper training and tools to enhance the customer experience.
Get personal
Studies have proved that personalised emails have a transaction rate. This could be addressing them by name, sending them a birthday greeting or an offering a coupon on the anniversary of when they became a customer. Customers appreciate the personalised messages that you send them because it can help create an emotional bond.
Be an expert
Let’s say you’re buying a new television, but have some questions. Would purchase the TV from the company who answered all of your questions or the company who couldn’t give you an answer? You’re probably more likely to support the company who addressed all of your concerns. If you want to attract and retain customers, you should become a reputable and trusted expert in your field by making sure employees are knowledgeable and sharing your expertise on question/answer sites or writing blog posts.
Offer incentives
You want to give customers a reason to keep coming back. And, that’s when incentives come into play. It could be something as simple as a discount on their next purchase or giving them a free drink after their tenth purchase.
Ask for their feedback
How do you know what customers like or dislike about your products? How do they feel about your customer service? If you aren’t aware of this information, then how can you make the appropriate changes to make your customers more satisfied? Whenever a customer completes a sale, ask them for their feedback through an email questionnaire or an online survey on your website.
Be reliable
Earn a reputation for being consistent and dependable. This means if you promise a product to be delivered within 48 hours after the purchase, then make sure delivery occurs within that time frame. If you promise 24/7 live customer support, then make sure that is a promise that you can keep. If something changes or your business changes due to unforeseen changes, let your customers know and be very open with them.
Spend more time with customers
Spending time with customers can serve several purposes. For starters, you can find out what made them become customers of yours in the first place. This information could be used to generate future content and marketing campaigns. You could also ask them to share their experiences for testimonials or case studies. This ensures you’ll keep your current customers happy because you’re taking the time to listen to their needs or hear their stories.
