Many consumers changed during the pandemic. They now avoid going out for fear of getting sick. They avoid brick-and-mortar stores and would rather do their shopping online. What used to be loyal customers are now changing brands. What can businesses do to encourage customer loyalty in the middle of the pandemic?
As more consumers started shopping online, businesses that were operating offline were left with no choice. Those who only have brick-and-mortar stores had to take their business online to cater to online consumers. With the increase in competition, existing online stores now have to do better in all aspects of their business.
They want to turn one-time customers into regular clients. They wish to regain the trust of old customers who switched to another brand. At the same time, businesses want to gain more consumers while retaining their existing clients.
Using Technology to Improve Consumer Loyalty
Brands should focus on loyalty-building during these critical times. Even a few customers lost could already have an impact on your business. This is especially true if those clients left true but negative feedback on your brand.
The good news is, businesses of all sorts can utilize different tech trends to handle consumer’s switching behavior. It all starts with building a solid relationship with your clients. Making them all feel like they are getting more value than what they pay for is a surefire way to boost and retain their confidence.
You can use technology to improve the following areas of your business.
Digital Marketing
Getting your business closer to your online consumers is the key to gaining and retaining clients. Since your business is now online, it only makes sense that you invest in effective digital marketing. But since there are so many ways to do this, your best and most cost-effective tactic can be hiring the pros to handle this job for.
You will need a reliable company to craft a customized digital marketing strategy for your business. Thankfully, asking for recommendations and online research can help you find the best partners for your brand. You can also check reliable websites such as c1-partners.com to check how you can gain leads and maximize your online efforts without lifting a finger.
Customer Service
Excellent customer service can help you establish and rebuild customer loyalty. It starts with having a working website where clients can answer their own questions and easily reach out to your customer service for further assistance. You can use different communication tools to ensure you cover all possible channels that your target audiences prefer using.
Invest in technology that will handle better customer relationships. There are many software that allows you to gather data so you can use the information to improve customer service. It also makes sense to give your customers the chance to interact with your businesses whenever they wish through self-service optimization.
Payment Solutions
Since you now have online offers, it only makes sense that you provide your customers with safe digital payment options. Consumers don’t want to be limited with cash, check, and card payments. They want more secure payment gateways, especially when doing online business with a brand for the first time.
For online consumers, the most secure way to pay for their purchases include wire transfers, mobile wallets, and credit and debit cards. You need to have a secure eCommerce platform and use third parties in storing customer data. Make sure your business is PCI compliant and that you have an SSL certificate for your website.
Customer Loyalty Programs
One thing that can set your brand apart is how you handle customer loyalty programs. Most businesses offer memberships to loyal clients who want exclusive rewards. But keeping clients interested is the tricky part.
What you can do is create game mechanics to continuously engage customers to stay loyal to the brand. Gamification can encourage customers to complete certain tasks in exchange to reward points, freebies, and discounts. This can influence their buying decisions while you get to increase your client testimonials, referrals, and more.
How Technology Can Ruin Customer Loyalty
Businesses can leverage technology to improve customer loyalty. But it can also ruin your plans altogether. This is why there is a need to take careful steps when using any innovations.
For one, using multiple channels to communicate with customers is only effective if you stay consistent and connected to clients. Failure to respond on time can quickly turn off customers. You need to make sure you dedicate enough time to answer customer inquiries and address their concerns asap.
When using loyalty programs, failure to update customers and keep up with your promises can ruin their experience. They might think that all your efforts are only gimmicks to make them do more for you. Ensure you keep up with your promises and that you have a solid system in place in case any issue arises.
Losing your client’s trust is easy. Retaining their confidence and regaining their trust is the tricky part. With the help of technology, you can accomplish your goals but with the right practices.