Why There are no Shortcuts to Proper Customer Retention in 2019!
There’s
a business saying that it costs five times more to acquire a customer rather
than retain an existing one. The reality is there are a number of complicating
factors, but in general, it costs more to bring customers in, rather than keep
them, and combined with the classic Pareto principle, it explains the value of
customer retention.
With
80% of sales coming from 20% of the customers, a simple game plan for profits
should definitely incorporate retention. But what research often does not tell
you is that retaining customers is harder than it looks. Customer loyalty is
all about engagement. This, in turn, requires communicating constant relevant
value. People only appreciate products with great benefits when you take the
trouble of appreciating and valuing them.
- Winning Mindshare or Wallet-share?
The
reason retention is so tough can be put down to the difficulties of attaining
both mind and wallet share. Typical customers see more than 10K marketing
messages in a single day. Many of these ask for something or the other. Brands
need to realise that retention requires a level of commitment that is way more
than acquisition. It is the difference between lifetime value of customers
versus a one-time purchase. Loyal customers in a connected environment are
definitely harder to retain. Dying brand loyalty and a competitive market in
the modern digital age means customers can always find brands to deliver the
same quality faster and at cheaper rates. Research has also found switching
costs are low.
- Rising Customer Expectations
Consumer
expectations are also rapidly rising and meeting these high standards is
essential for business. Failureleads to decline in customer retention or client satisfaction or both.
Businesses even adopt CRM tools to keep customers in the loop and know how to
improve their product or service. Now, it’s no longer about three-brand
lifestyles. Customers now shop based on quality, speed, price, and overall
customer experience.
Close
to 89 percent of businesses in 2017 competed primarily on customer experience
in one survey. Further, research by
LivePerson found 71 per cent of online customers expect help within 5 minutes.
Additionally, Google research unearthed how 52 per cent of customers were
likely to leave a retailer based on poor mobile experience. Zendesk even found
95 per cent of unhappy clients share experiences with others! The numbers
clearly point to how difficult and complicated retention is.
- The Importance of Personalisation
Personalised
marketing is the need of the hour. This is because personalised content and
marketing messages are a great competitive differentiator. Brands that
personalise customer experiences are seen as exceptional. Close to 50 percent
of Millennial customers rank personalisation as important.
But
personalisation of customer journeys requires considerable skill and knowledge.
This is why client retention has no shortcuts. For example, emails with
personalised tags in email lines and bodies increase open rates and raise CTR
by over 6x times. But writing a bespoke email communication requires
understanding how to click with customers and what makes a brand tick.
- Complexities of Loyalty Programs
In
today’s changing and evolving marketplace, deals and discounts are simply not
enough. To build customer retention, your loyalty program, like your marketing
message, needs to be customised. Keeping these factors in mind, hiring the
right client retention firm can make a big difference to your profits and your
ROI. So, hire a leading agency and set yourself apart as a business that wins
hearts, minds and market share.