Customers nowadays have so many choices when it comes to choosing brands, making it challenging for companies to deliver greater customer experiences than their competitors. Showing appreciation for happy customers through loyalty programs and marketing offers may keep these customers satisfied, but what about your unhappy customers? Customer churn is a dismal reality when these customers are ignored, stifling brand growth and possibly leading to a tarnished reputation. It’s commonly said that it costs far more to acquire a new customer than to retain one (6 to 7 times more), making customer churn an essential topic every brand should address. Here are six essential steps for reducing customer churn for greater customer loyalty.
Accountability is key to customer satisfaction. Your customers need to know they can rely on your brand and take your word seriously. If your brand takes pride in its strong omnichannel engagement, make sure your customers are actually getting consistent, quality experiences from well-trained agents. Apply the same dedication to all the small but important details: For example, marketing offers should be meaningful and easy to use, deliveries should be easy to track and made on time, and prioritized callbacks should occur when promised. Make a positive first impression on your customers, and make the effort to deliver the same great experience each time.
Make your brand more accessible by offering effortless customer experiences. Don’t waste your customers’ time with cluttered and incoherent brand websites, long hold times, or unresponsive social channels. Empower your customers through technology, clear information, and a skilled customer service staff. Technologies such as prioritized callbacks and IVR menus can connect your customers faster to agents, FAQs on the brand website can enable self-service, and trained agents using a CRM database can deliver seamless customer service. Don’t make your customers think: Be one step ahead of them and take out the guesswork.
Your brand doesn’t have to wait for customer complaints before making improvements. Why not offer your customers better products and services all the time? Reducing customer churn is all about exceeding customer expectations so they just won’t want to leave. For example, offering free shipping one day per month or improving a phone and internet service plan at no additional cost to the customer are both ways to show that you want to make your customers happy by adding value to your brand.
Listening to customers involves everything from paying close attention during service interactions to welcoming their feedback on surveys. Comments on social media channels can provide important insights into possibilities for brand improvements and stronger marketing campaigns. Understanding customer feelings lets your brand take proactive measures toward increasing satisfaction and reducing customer churn.
Your customer service employees are your brand representatives and the human face of your company. Their skills, habits, and feelings therefore count tremendously toward the quality of your brand’s customer experiences. Equip your employees with tools for success and include them in your customer engagement strategy planning. Provide them with comprehensive and regular training, mentoring, leadership opportunities, and recognition programs to help them grow their skills and confidence in their roles. Be sure to solicit their feedback for improving customer service, and apply their knowledge when making revisions to service practices.
So far, all these steps have involved proactive measures toward reducing customer churn. So what do you do if you still have unsatisfied customers on the verge of leaving your brand? Checking in regularly with customers through surveys and close attention to their service cases can help your brand identify “at risk” customers and take proactive measures. However, the unfortunate truth is that sometimes negative experiences will happen, making it your brand’s job to find out why and what you can do to keep the customer from leaving. Reach out to unhappy customers on their preferred channel of contact or by phone to get more information. If your brand made any mistake along the customer journey (missed or late delivery, unresolved case), offer an apology and take immediate steps toward setting things right. Make goodwill gestures through vouchers or loyalty points to entice them to stay. Do everything in your power to turn around the poor experience and show the customer you care. There may be many ways to satisfy your customers, but offering them consistent and quality experiences accented by a genuine human touch can go a long way toward reducing customer churn and gaining their loyalty.
