Happy Cows Make the Best Hamburgers

In a recent study carried out by ForeSee,  it’s reported that pure online retailers are fairing better than their store-based competitors when it comes to customer satisfaction. Because of the reduced overheads, online retailers have always had the upper hand when it comes to offering low prices. Store-based retailers have more channels to divert corporate attention and focus and therefore the customer is losing out. Given how saturated the markets are, customer loyalty is more difficult to attain and maintain but this is becoming a focus for many retailers, more so than increasing numbers of new customers.

What needs to be understood are the many channels available when marketing online and the methods available for providing that added level of customer support.

We all look for a bargain and are often happy to spend hours online looking for a slightly better price or cheaper delivery. If a bargain hunter were to land on your website, is there anything likely to entice them further into the site? Does your site speak of vouchers, customer loyalty discounts, buy one get one free offers?

So you published the offers, you made the sale, what do you do next with that customer? If their order was delivered as promised they’ll be a happy customer. If there was a problem with their order, their satisfaction rating for you will depend on how you handled this. So, if their first order was a success then you’ve managed to negotiate you way towards a loyal customer. Of course you’ll have competitors so you need to make sure that your customer thinks about you first before they make their next purchase.

You should have details of all customers who’ve placed orders with you. Follow up their purchase to get feedback from them and offer them an incentive to become a repeat customer, whether that’s a money off offer or a freebie of some description. An easy way of reminding them about you is to add them to your regular newsletter listing. Chances are they’ll have white-listed your domain to receive your confirmation email so it’s likely that your email will land in their inbox. You did send them a confirmation email, right? Talk to your customers but encourage interaction. Customer feedback can be very powerful when encouraging others to buy from you. Unbiased feedback, provided it’s positive (if it’s negative, show that it’s been acted on) will give weight to a persons decision when they’re considering a purchase. The internet is all about security and if your customers mention your name in the same breath as quick delivery, customer satisfaction and secure then you’ll be on to a winner.

Having a fully integrated internet and marketing solution can provide you with all of the answers you need when handling orders, queries and complaints. Having all of the information readily available and responding to customers quickly and sensitively will encourage the repeat order or the referral.

We’ve implemented many full eCommerce and marketing solutions and have experienced, first hand, the benefits and simplicity they bring. These don’t have to be expensive, they just need to be focussed on your business rather than being a generic one size fits all package. If you have a specific need for internet marketing, social media marketing, eCommerce and/or a customer relationship solution give us a call or email us. Even if you’re not sure what you need and just want to find out what your options are give us a call and we’ll help you understand what’s available.

Keep your existing customers happy, go the extra mile to ensure their delivery arrives on time and make sure you handle problems carefully. Problem orders can turn into a positive if you show great service – it’s not enough to give excellent customer service, you must subtly make them aware of the great service they’re getting. Remember, if you don’t take care of your customers, somebody else will.