Customer Care: A Magnet for Consumer Retention

We are in a new era of consumer relations: the Information Age. With technology readily available to your customers, your contact centers have to be more effective than a Google search when addressing their needs. Although this will require extra effort, you’ll notice a great increase in your brand-loyal customers.

The trick to retaining customers is to use your Customer Care to draw customers toward your brand—like a magnet! Build a strategy that focuses on engagement and relationship building to stay tightly connected to those who support your business.

Why is Customer Care so important for establishing repeat business?  If you take care of your customers, and make sure that they are totally satisfied with your company, they will be more apt to keep doing business with your organization.

According to a recent study, 89 percent of respondents claimed that good service makes them feel more positive about the brands with which they engage. Additionally, 43 percent admitted that when companies make mistakes, they are more forgiving to organizations they think understand them.

Consider the following points to magnetize customers to your brand:

Use data to your advantage: Your business gathers information about your customers during every interaction. But are you using this information to the best of your advantage? Compile the information you collect, and use it to improve customer interactions. The goal is to understand your customers’ needs more and more with each engagement. Communicators should be able to access notes from previous calls or chats so that customers do not have to repeat themselves. Customers who require foreign language assistance should be automatically routed to agents who can communicate with them. The same can be said for customers who are hard of hearing. Remembering small details will go a long way in fostering feelings of trust and loyalty from customers—especially because not every company goes to such lengths.

Be flexible when possible: Suppose a customer calls, explaining why he or she can’t make a payment on time. Listen to the customer, and offer support or advice to make the payment process easier. Remember: Communicators should not perform like robots, so encourage your team to be empathetic and understanding. These customers will, in turn, think of your brand as compassionate and friendly. As a result, they will be more apt to reward your company with repeat business and recommend your company to others.

Be accessible: Customers value effortless communication. After all, that’s our job! Offer self-help features on your website for speedy assistance. Use a call-back service, so that customers can go about their businesses without having to wait on hold. And consider providing after-hours support for customer assistance after normal working hours. Making your brand accessible will show your customers that you care about their patronage and are standing by to accommodate their needs.

Steve Brubaker began his career at InfoCision in 1985. In his current role as Chief of Staff and as a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for HR, internal and external communications, and manages the company’s legal and compliance departments. Brubaker is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the DMA, SOCAP, and PACE. He also donates his time to serve on several university boards, including the Executive Advisory Board for The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at The University of Akron and The University of Akron Foundation Board. He is a frequent speaker for national events and has also been honored with a number of awards and recognitions for his contributions to the call center industry.