The holiday season is now over, an opportunity for brands and retailers to analyze the results of their performance. Very often, we find that Christmas brings in more new customers than usual. This is thanks to the numerous transactions and specific consumer behavior during this period of the year. This new breeding ground is essential for getting off to a good start in the New Year, and should not be abandoned, quite the contrary. To save all the efforts made at the end of the year, it is important for brands to retain and engage these new customers so that they can pay off in the long term.
So what are the customer retention actions to take? What tools can be put in place to be successful?
Keep contact to retain the new customer
A consumer made a purchase for the first time within the shop over the Christmas period. Whether or not he is satisfied with his purchase, it is essential for the brand to keep in touch with him in order to guarantee a good customer retention rate. Whether by email, SMS, via social networks, it is necessary to be able to define a coherent strategy so that the customer remains attentive to the brand’s actions, or even repeats a new purchase or even interacts with it. Why not start by thanking the customer for their purchase, in order to lay the foundations for long-term communication. The thank you email is also an opportunity to ensure customer satisfaction, and depending on the responses given, adapt the rest of the discussions. Thanking the new client, perhaps also the opportunity for the brand to create a commitment by offering him a sponsorship operation for which he will be rewarded. There are many possibilities for brands, it is up to them to choose the most relevant according to their objectives.
Personalization of exchanges to retain customers
The first obstacle to staying in contact with a brand (for example, signing up for the newsletter or even on social networks), is the irrelevance of messages and the lack of personalization.
With current technologies and good segmentation, it is easier today for brands to offer messages tailored to the needs of these new customers and finally to create long-term engagement.
You have to get to know the consumers who have made a first purchase within the brand. What products or services were purchased? Is it a gift for Christmas? What did they think of the product? From the shopping experience? Did they take any specific actions? …
The first goal is to determine whether they have been satisfied or not. Since this will completely change the way you interact with them afterwards. Dissatisfied customers must be managed given the impact it can have on the brand. The challenge here is to listen, understand and act so as not to harm either the brand image or the results.
Equally important are happy customers. They can repeat a purchase, become loyal customers and why not become brand ambassadors. Provided, of course, that the brand can anticipate its needs and expectations for maximum satisfaction. For example, it can offer products that complement those purchased, especially during the January sales period when customers are more attentive to good deals.
In all cases, personalization is an essential point for customer retention and a major lever for maximizing results.
An adapted loyalty program
For satisfied customers, in addition to staying in touch, it is interesting to suggest actions that are related to the desired end goal. It will be different if a brand aims to increase visibility and brand awareness online, or if it aims to maximize repeat purchases.
For the first, the brand will focus its discussions on sharing. She will be called upon to encourage new customers to share their experiences, give their opinions on products, offer advice, or even recommend the brand to her circle of acquaintances. An important point knowing that 88% of consumers read customer reviews and recommendations before buying.
For the second objective, the brand will have to work on incentives to get new customers to repeat a purchase. A special event, new products limited in time, special operations, thank you gifts or promotions.
The gift card, a customer retention tool
Among them is the custom gift card, a particularly interesting tool for customer retention. The gift card can be used in different ways in call to action.
It can be a reward for action. For example, if the brand wants to improve its digital visibility, it can ask new customers to provide feedback on the shopping experience. In exchange, it offers them an gift card for a defined amount that is valid at its points of sale.
Or it can simply be a thank you gift from a first purchase. The brand can decide to offer a gift card always for a predefined amount as a welcome gift. Here, the card is a direct incentive for the customer to repeat a purchase within the brand.
Another positive point of this tool is that it is better received by consumers than a simple coupon or the outnet coupon codes. Associated with the strong value of the gift, the card is an ideal reward for welcoming new customers and maximizing the customer retention rate.
Especially since the card will be a new source of data to improve customer knowledge. What did they buy? When did they come? Did they go on the website or in a physical store? etc.
A listening service
For dissatisfied customers, after-sales service is on the front line. Once dissatisfaction is detected, the after-sales representatives must set up listening points, and respond as best as possible to customer demand. Because ultimately this is a bit of a second chance given to the brand. One last chance for the latter to keep this customer and create engagement afterwards. Here the dialogue must be oriented on the customer’s questions, on his purchase information, in order to deliver a relevant message. It is proven that a customer, despite a bad experience, can decide to stay thanks to the responsiveness and relevance of customer service.
Moreover, all the information collected within the after-sales service must be transformed to become new areas for improvement for the brand. This will optimize the customer retention rate over the long term.
Brands and retailers have every interest in safeguarding their new customers. This requires the implementation of incentives, but also a personalized and relevant exchange over the long term. Other elements must also be taken into account, such as the quality and price of the products, which nevertheless remain a paramount criterion in the renewal of a purchase. The customer experience is also an increasing incentive for new customers to come back or not.