When it comes to customer loyalty, there are several factors to consider. First, it’s important to understand the motivations that drive your customers to purchase in the first place. With this knowledge, your brand can then deliver the experiences that win customers over.
In the Accenture Seamless Retail report, three principal factors were found to influence customers’ purchasing decisions: price, postage, and a quick and easy payment process. Nearly half of the consumers surveyed also stated that retailers need to improve integrating the in-store, online, and mobile shopping experiences. Given that roughly 60% of U.K. internet users switch between desktop and mobile devices, the call for seamless multichannel experiences is greater than ever.
To offer excellent multichannel customer support, it is worth considering the benefits of a powerful contact centre software solution. The right software can make your customers’ interactions with your brand both efficient and pleasant. With easy access across many channels, your customers will feel informed by the wealth of information at their fingertips, supported by the knowledge of your customer service agents. Offering assistance on the channels your customers like to use also sends the message that your brand cares about their preferences, prompting them to visit again.
Does satisfaction lead to loyalty? A recent UK Customer Satisfaction Index found that 96% of customers who score companies 9 or 10 out of 10 for customer satisfaction will give the same scores when citing their intent to remain a loyal customer. However, among those who provide a customer satisfaction score of 8-8.9, only 66% stated they would remain loyal. When it comes to earning customer loyalty, an extra point or two of satisfaction can make all the difference.
91% of consumers think that shopping at a physical location is easy, however only 32% share this sentiment when shopping on a mobile device. This illustrates just how much customer experiences and expectations vary from one channel to another, and how essential it is for brands to adopt customer-centric practices. While one customer may wish to shop or seek assistance in-store, another may prefer a quick webchat or social media exchange. To satisfy your customers, your brand must embrace different preferences for and expectations of communication channels. Giving them truly seamless experiences that reduce effort and maximize efficiency could well be the key to winning their loyalty for the long term.
Sources: Accenture Seamless Retail Report; comScore “Mobile’s Hierarchy of Needs” Report; UK Customer Satisfaction Index-January 2017.
