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Fostering customer loyalty
Transparency- Consumers are smart, and they want to know what kind of company they are getting into bed with. If you want loyal customers, do not hide things, be upfront. Nothing alienates customers faster than feeling like they are dealing with a shady company. Transparency is the first step to customer loyalty. Honesty- The next step is similar to transparency, and that is honesty. Do not make a promise you cannot keep. Consumers do not want to read that your products are organic and healthy, and then find out that you are using sub par ingredients, etc. It will not only keep them from being loyal, but may turn them into lobbyers who are against your product or service. If you make a claim, be sure it is true, otherwise, do not make it. People love a company that they can feel good about. Value- A customer will always be loyal to companies they feel provide them with value. The price matters less than the value of the item, service, product, etc. being offered. If you want loyal customers, step up your value scale so that customers feel like they are getting the biggest bang for their buck. Give back- Loyalty is often won by what you do for others. When a customer cares about something, it is easy for them to be loyal to it. Thus, show that you care as well. When a company gives back, whether they donate to a cause, protect the environment, or reward loyalty in some way, they endear consumers to them, and help create a loyal following of consumers. Be flexible- One of the things that will always help customers to stay loyal is evolving to meet their ever-changing needs. If you are so stuck in one way, eventually your customers will outgrow you. You have to be flexible. You have to be careful that as you evolve you maintain your standards of quality and value, and that you retain your transparency, etc. but that you also evolve to meet their needs. Apple is perfect example of this. They consistently create high quality products, and are consistently releasing newer, sleeker, more efficient models to better meet the needs of their consumers. The quality stays in tact, but the technology gets better. Every company could take a page from this book. Customer service- Last but not least, be sure that when you do engage with your customers, whether it is at the point of sale, or if there is a problem, that they are treated with respect and feel valued. |
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