Think back to the last time you made a purchase where the experience made it worthwhile. If you find that you regularly go back to the same store time and time again, then it’s obvious that the company delivers a great customer experience and you will be loyal to them.
Research has shown that return spenders are worth up to 10 times the value of their first purchase and when you consider that 87 percent of customers are loyal to retail giants like Apple, it’s clear just how important it is to maintain customer loyalty. Here are seven ways you can achieve that.
Start a Loyalty Programme
While a loyalty programme might not seem like a new idea, there’s a good reason why brands still offer loyalty programmes. Fifty-nine percent of adults think all brands should offer a loyalty programme and over 77 percent are subscribed to one - so the interest is certainly there.
A loyalty programme can make customers feel special and valued and it also encourages them to return so that they can eventually collect their reward in exchange for the loyalty they’ve shown to your brand. So, consider what type of rewards your customer base will like and make them want to actually take part. One way to learn this is through data and analytics.
There isn’t a fixed formula as to the scheme you put in place. It can be as simple as having customers earn points to redeem products or even offering special treatment like pre-sale discounts and exclusive competitions. By keeping in mind what your customers will like, they’re more likely to remain loyal because it’s worth their time, effort and money.
Improve Customer Experience
Although customer experience is important, go the extra mile and stand out from the competition even more by providing customer experience that can’t be beaten. It’s more than just ‘service with a smile’. You need to show genuine care and attention to customers so they feel a lot more valued in your store than they do anywhere else.
Answer their questions and solve their problems promptly. For that, though, you need to know your products and services inside out. Be readily available both in person, through emails, phone calls, social media and live chats. Customers react differently but nobody wants to feel like they’re not being given enough attention as they can quickly become disgruntled.
Be helpful rather than pressuring them into making buying decisions, provide a more human and personalised approach to make them feel valued and even offer a guarantee to show you always have their best interests in mind.
Using surveys or feedback is a good way to learn where to start making changes.
Encourage Customer Feedback
Rather than waiting for customers to leave a review online sporadically, make an extra effort to encourage feedback from every customer that walks through the doors. By regularly asking for feedback - regardless of whether it was a positive or negative experience for the customers - it’s an opportunity for you to leave customers impressed.
Firstly, it shows customers that you really value their feedback and don’t just treat them as just people who buy from you.
Secondly, negative experiences can quickly turn into positives if you show that you care about all types of feedback and experiences. Show that you want to take their comments on board and are always looking for areas to improve or continue impressing.
Show Off Your Customer Testimonials and Reviews
Showing your customer reviews isn’t just to draw in new customers (although, that’s a huge bonus) but they can be a huge benefit to everyone involved. As we mentioned, showing your transparent reviews to the rest of the world can help persuade newer customers to visit your store. It can be online reviews or even through something even more powerful: word of mouth.
Then there’s the fact that the reviews you've shared will allow your customers to feel even more appreciated that you took their feedback into account and shared it with the rest of the world. A small act like that can go a long way as it shows you genuinely care about what they have to say, whether it’s good feedback or areas in which you can improve.
Product Launch Invites
While a product launch invite or a secret sale might sound like you’re closing off a portion of your customer base, events like these can act as encouragement for customers to stick around, essentially making them more loyal.
Again, this can be incorporated through schemes like loyalty programmes or even for those customers who have opted into marketing emails, for example.
By giving them this special VIP treatment, it encourages customers to stick around and look forward to the next event. They’ll also pass on encouraging words to other customers that they get special treatment and newer customers will also want to feel just as valued through their eventual loyalty.
Send Regular Company Updates
Whether it’s a blog, newsletter or a round-up email, company news is a great way to keep loyal customers in the loop about what’s going on. It makes your customers feel like they’re a part of your team when you send them updates about any big events or sales that are taking place.
When you combine the element of personalisation, that can go even further towards leaving a lasting impact as it shows customers that you value them as customers. Throw in new product lines, promotions and more, then your loyal customers will be glad they’ve stuck by you.
Offer Free Access to WiFi
Loyalty can be created through unparalleled customer experience, and free WiFi is now considered such a necessity that it goes a long way towards improving customer experience.
Forty-six percent of shoppers now expect stores to offer free WiFi and it’s thought that by 2022, over 90 percent of shoppers will have WiFi-enabled devices which they’ll use during shopping. It could be for personal use like social media and comparing prices, right through to using a digital map of your store.
By offering this, you're not only giving customers what they want but you're also allowing them to stay connected without having to use up a big chunk of their mobile data. This offering, while small, will enhance their shopping experience even more.
Combine this with the right platform which enables customers to use one unified account and not need to log in on every visit, and you can boost customer satisfaction even more. By offering single authentication, your customers will know you’re taking their shopping experience into account and want to make each visit a lot easier and more efficient. Whereas no WiFi access can discourage shoppers from visiting entirely.
WiFi can also provide businesses, like yours, with valuable analytics. For example, you can collect data on your customers' purchasing behaviours, habits, dwell times, whether they're new or returning, how far they're travelling and much more. You can then use this information and amend your retail space to further enhance experiences and improve loyalty even further.
Get More Information About How You Can Improve Customer Engagement Through WiFi
If you want to stay ahead of the competition, then boosting customer loyalty and engagement is vital. It’s not just about getting those same customers coming back and spending more money, but satisfied customers that realise you go above and beyond to satisfy them are more likely to spread positive news about your business and how you go the extra mile.
WiFi is a versatile tool that can help you achieve that. Use it implement ads, integrate loyalty schemes and use all of the data you collect to increase engagement, spend and satisfaction for every customer in your store. However, there’s still a lot more to know about how you can improve communication with your customers to encourage loyalty.
To get some useful tips and insight on improving communication, we’ve created a guide which highlights what the public expects in 2019, how you can increase repeat business, how you can upsell current customers and even the tools that will help you get started.
To get your free copy, click on the link below.
