It is important to note that the relationship between provider and brands sold by the provider can differ significantly. In the grocery sector, respondents were more loyal in the grocery sector (74%) than to brands (61% on average across the categories). In stark contrast, when it came to mobile phones and brands, 76% was loyal to their service provider and 74% was loyal to their brand.
It is clear, then, that customer loyalty can be fickle, so how can you turn a maybe into a definitely and guarantee your customers’ loyalty?
1. Get personal: Learn their names, even if it comes up on the till when they pay – being greeted by name makes people feel special. Send birthday messages and customised special offers.
2. Meet-and-greet: Introduce visitors to the CEO; let the chef come to the floor and greet customers; let the store manager help at the till and carry – show you are accessible and open to interaction.
3. Appoint ambassadors: Let loyal customers become mini brand ambassadors who can introduce friends to your company with special offers. Give them status as reward for their loyalty.
4. Don’t be shy: Show your customers what you do for them; send an email or make a quick phone call as a follow-up after good service has been provided – a subtle reminder to remind them why they keep coming back to you.
5. Meet them on their terms: If your target market uses social media, it’s time to get the hang of it and join them. Become a visible presence in their “territory” to create familiarity and cement loyalty.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables your marketing team to seamlessly go from planning to execution, leveraging the power of Excel and Power BI to measure campaigns across channels from start to finish so you can bring your marketing vision to life. You can engage customers one-to-one across channels, build your sales pipeline and demonstrate the impact of your marketing investments in real-time.
6. Become the expert: Make yourself the go-to guy in all things related to your product or service. Make sure they know they can count on you to guide them through any queries or questions and keep them informed on the latest trends and developments.
7. Create a self-service channel: Make it as easy as possible for customers to get information about your products and services, as well as easy to access. You should always be, at most, a phone call or a click away.
8. Meet their needs: Find out what customers really want through surveys, quick questions at the tills, personal interaction – whatever channels you can access. Show them that you care for them personally and they will stick with you through thick and thin.
9. Have integrity: Prove yourself as honest and trustworthy; someone your customers can be proud of doing business with – they will trust you and your product or service and therefore be less likely to be swayed by competitors.
10. Appreciate customers: Never take your customers – loyal or not – for granted. Make sure they stay a priority and never feel like they were wooed for their business and now that’s it; you’ve gotten the business you wanted. Keep working on your relationship.
Customer loyalty encourages consumers to shop more consistently, spend a greater share of wallet, and feel positive about a shopping experience, helping attract consumers to familiar brands in the face of a competitive environment.
