Customer retention measures the percentage of existing customers that return and recommend your product/service. It can provide valuable insights into its performance.
Many businesses focus on attracting new customers as part of their strategy for growth, but keeping existing customers is just as crucial. This article covers top ways to Improve Customer Retention and Loyalty.
1. Offer a great customer service experience
Customer retention and loyalty can be greatly increased through providing outstanding customer service experiences. Loyal customers tend to recommend your brand more readily than their non-loyal counterparts, leading to greater sales while decreasing marketing expenses.
Companies can achieve customer loyalty through prompt and responsive customer support, fair prices and fulfilling promises made. Another approach could be creating a loyalty program which offers exclusive perks to its most loyal customers such as priority seating or being allowed to skip lines.
Listening and acting upon customer feedback are crucial components of customer experience management. Implementing a feedback loop allowing customers to provide comments about their experiences with your business can also help. In addition, tools like small business phone systems allow businesses to collect customer reviews and surveys that allow you to identify areas for improvement while creating an improved customer journey experience.
2. Make it easy for your customers to do business with you
Loyalty programs provide an excellent opportunity to collect customer data and deliver targeted marketing. From point-based systems to referral incentives, making available special perks to your most loyal customers can increase retention and drive sales growth.
Acquiring feedback from former customers who have ended their relationship can also help your business. By asking their opinions, you demonstrate that you value them and wish to establish strong bonds.
Promoting your loyalty program effectively is crucial to its success, whether this means in-store signage or email announcements. Customers need to know what perks they can access if they sign up if they haven’t already – once signed up it will become easier for you to turn them into repeat buyers and brand ambassadors.
3. Make it easy for your customers to share their experience with others
One effective strategy to increase customer retention and loyalty is making it simple for them to share their experience with others. You can achieve this goal by creating an online community where customers can interact among themselves and give feedback about products or services provided.
At present, customers have many channels available to them for sharing their experiences with companies–some public ones included–and it is crucial that businesses respond quickly to these comments to maintain customer satisfaction and retention.
Make it easier for customers to share their experience by offering a loyalty program that rewards them for doing business with you, such as discounts or special perks such as free shipping or access to music and movies. Also keep in mind that customer loyalty is a two-way street and it is equally essential for companies to listen and respond to feedback from customers.
4. Create a positive brand image
Brand image refers to the overall impression, perception and associations customers form about your company. It can be affected by everything from logo, messaging and products through customer experiences and conversations to user-generated content created by customers themselves. Constructing a positive brand image can increase customer retention while drawing in new business.
Your brand image ultimately depends on how effectively your product or service meets customer needs, and on whether your values resonate with your customers – those who share them will likely remain more loyal and recommend your business more often than those who don’t share them.
Zappos, for instance, has become well-known for their customer service excellence and unique culture, both of which contribute to high levels of customer retention and loyalty. Furthermore, their lighthearted brand purpose – to be “caring, fun and magical community made up of diverse friends who embrace change and love to try new things” – is reinforced in every touch point along the customer journey.