Three ways to develop customer loyalty
At the core of every successful business are its customers. Without them no business can survive. But how do you keep your customers happy and make them choose your products and services in today’s highly competitive environment? There are many ways of building customer loyalty, but it all comes down to:
- Develop an experiential factor
One of the best ways to build a loyal customer base is to provide them with an experience, not just the product. Make your business a destination, not just a means of attaining the product or service that they need. Millennials, who are quickly becoming the prevalent buyer segment, are driven by seeking the experiential factor, appealing to them will create an immediate attraction to your brand and make them come back for more time and time again.
- Make it personal
You don’t have to be on first-name terms with your customers, but acknowledging and building a unique personal bond with each one of them goes a long way and doesn’t stop with face-to-face interactions – social media, email, phone, etc. Always try to maintain the positive relationship you have established with your customers.
- Provide great customer service
While this seems like a given, its one tip that bears repeating because it’s so important. One survey showed that in 2013, 51% of customers ended their relationship with a business because they were unhappy with the service they were receiving. It can take years to build your relationship with a client, but only takes a couple of disappointing encounters to ruin it. The impact that one single customer – who has friends and family, who will hear about his experience with you – can have on your business, is substantial
In today’s business climate, it’s impossible to stress just how important customer loyalty is. These tips will help you create loyal customers who will be happy to frequent your business for many years to come.