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Five Ways to Keep Your Customers Happy Online
It’s an old expression but true: it’s easier and less expensive to win repeat business from existing customers than to find new ones.
Many organizations don’t observe this - witness the number of insurance companies who offer better deals to new customers than for their existing ones. Keeping existing customers happy online doesn’t have to be expensive or even particularly time consuming - many businesses and organizations can really score in adding some personalization to their activities with existing customers.
1. Do what you say you will
Sounds obvious, but it’s far better to make commitments you know you can keep rather than make a rash promise that you may not be able to fulfil. Make sure you call back or email when you say you’re going to, and provide delivery times you can definitely meet.
2. Under promise and over deliver
By making a commitment you know you can meet and beating it - for example, saying five days delivery but actually managing it in three - will please your customer no end. Perhaps a little extra on top of their order such as a small free gift to complement what they’ve bought?
The fact you’ve gone to the trouble of acknowledging the value of their custom will enhance their happiness with your business.
3. Quick communications
Respond swiftly to a customer email - maybe within minutes is unrealistic, but don’t let it drag on for days either. The same applies to call backs and other methods - and try and be as personal as possible as opposed to too much obvious automation.
The use of workforce management software can increase your employee's engagement with your company’s activities, and show them how their efforts contribute to good performance through high levels of customer service.
4. Communicate through your email list
You’ll likely have built an email list of customers, and it’s a great way of keeping in touch and building a relationship with them. It’s not a good idea to only email when you’re looking to sell them something - providing useful information and helpful reminders (in the case of products with a certain life cycle) will help forge stronger links.
It’s fairly straightforward to, say, create a series of periodic emails to send to your list and have an auto responder deal with the scheduling of mailings. The fact you seem keen to keep in touch and help by providing useful information will create a very good impression.
5. Communicate through social media
Linked to emailing above, using social media to engage and build customer relationships is ideal. Resist the temptation to use social media to openly sell - it’s more of a relationship builder than a sales tool.
Making it personal
The above is all part of a basic CRM (Customer Relationship Management) policy. It’s easy to lose sight of the personal touches when business is conducted online. You may never meet any or your customers face-to-face, but whatever you can do to stand apart from other organizations whether on or offline will pay dividends.
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