A report from ClickFox suggests that brands looking to improve consumer loyalty should focus on both the quality of their offerings and reliable customer service. Eighty-eight percent of respondents say they’re most concerned with the quality of goods and services they purchase, and that a good experience will keep them coming back. Another 72 percent said they want a positive customer service experience. As such, marketers should focus on creating content that highlights their value propositions and building positive interactions with their client base on social.
As more consumers engage brands on social networks and through other web channels, companies have more opportunities to help their customers. Whether it’s email correspondence or a Tweet asking a question, it’s important that businesses of all sizes respond to their customers when engaged. Poor customer service can result in a prospect looking to another brand.
Additionally, satisfied customers said they show their happiness in a number of ways online, all of which can benefit businesses. Seventy-eight percent said they recommend the brand to friends and other contacts, while 68 percent reported that they spend more money on the company’s items.
In terms of driving loyalty, every interaction with a customer is a chance to serve them better and draw them back for future purchases. Nearly half of consumers said they expect companies to focus on loyalty when they make their first purchase or their service begins. Moreover, 40 percent consider the times where they ask for issues to be resolved a key indicator of a brand’s customer service capability, which they use to determine how loyal they’ll be.
Citing data from Loyalty 360, Brafton has previously reported that 27 percent of businesses find their social media marketing campaigns are critical to their ability to retain customers. When a follower or fan sends feedback, responding in a timely manner can improve the reputation of a business and keep that customer loyal. Even when there is a complaint, addressing it, rather than ignoring it, will help satisfy the consumer.
Despite consistent evidence that social marketing, whether through Facebook, Twitter or another platform, can help with loyalty, many are still failing to engage their online audiences. Brafton recently highlighted a report from STELLAService that found more than half of all chances for customer service on social networks are ignored by businesses. Additionally, businesses can use the feedback gathered from social campaigns to inform content marketing efforts.
