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In the age of an online marketplace, very few customers remain loyal. How do we stem the tide of customer churn? Companies that have great customer service, coupled with other great qualities like their product, tend to create customers that remain brand loyal. One common denominator of companies who have loyal customers is the focus on the trusted relationships rather than transactions. Without a solid relationship based on trust, you’re doing nothing other than appeasing customers for the short-term until they find something better.
I recently purchased a pair of denim jeans at Diesel. Within a week, I noticed they seemed to have a hole in them from fraying. I was disappointed to say the least, as I had only worn them once. I decided to go to the store and discuss the matter to see about a possible exchange. I was expecting them to say no, given I had already worn the item. To my surprise, they said to bring them in for a switch, no questions asked. The customer service I received was attentive, courteous and genuine. The associates seemed vested in not only meeting my needs as a customer, but ensuring I would return to the store again in the future. Needless to say, I was elated and ended up going back later in the day for a new winter coat that had caught my eye while in the store.
We hear these stories every day, but we also hear stories from the other side. I was recently watching NBC4 and the I-Team ran a segment on a college grad who sent her computer in for repairs. The company made the repair, then added on additional repairs that weren’t needed, creating a hefty invoice. The customer refused to pay, as she did not give her consent for the repair. As a result, the company refused to return the laptop until they received payment in full. Turns out, after an investigation, the company wasn’t licensed or registered with the state.
I watched the segment and thought, this all could have been prevented if they had fixed the problem the customer sent the laptop in for and/or the customer was consulted regarding possible additional problems and the fix was approved before incurring additional charges. Now as a result, the state is investigating the company. The company was not licensed and should not be servicing customers in the first place, but this serves as a great example of some serious missteps in the management of the customer relationship.
It is my belief that there is a direct correlation with building and keeping a deep customer relationship and the increase of brand loyalty.
Giving your customers something little makes a big reason for them to come back. It doesn’t cost you or the company a lot and could result in a trusted long-term relationship with your brand. After all, a happy loyal customer results in brand advocacy. This is free marketing! Isn’t that what every company loves?
Hollow-Point Bullets Prompt Solid Online Response Tips
Monday, February 13th, 2012How does this domestic squabble translate to business? Other than being a teenager’s “crisis” I don’t know that it does, but it does strike me to remind everyone the importance of responding to negative comments online.
Here are my top tips for dealing with negative comments online:
1. Stay calm. Don’t let your adrenaline (fight or flight urge) get the best of you and cloud your judgment.
2. Respond publicly. Mirroring the original format is very powerful. Dominoe’ss Pizza is probably the best case study of this when they had their viral video crisis in 2009.
3. Be courteous*. Offer acknowledgement or an apology, whichever is most appropriate, with sincerity and gratitude for the opportunity to address the matter. *If you run into a troll refrain from calling them out until you have done your due diligence of their misdeed or erroneous feedback.
4. Provide resolution. In some cases this means a refund or some other compensation for the problem. In other cases this will mean “agreeing to disagree” on what is fair and what you can do based on the feedback.
5. Reflect.
a. Why did this person take their grievance public?
b. Was this the only forum available to address the concern?
c. What are the opportunities you have to improve your product or
service to strengthen your relationship with all of your customers?
d. Did you provide resolution to the issue?
6. Be thankful. REMEMBER: Negative can be positive. Your public response will demonstrate your commitment to your clientele. Also, when a customer is talking to you, even sometimes negatively, you are still communicating and can improve the situation.
At BurrellesLuce public comments are primarily responded to by either our account managers or the marketing team. These are the people who are closest with our existing clients and who manage the external communication and social media interactions. This post by Mack Collier further reinforces the importance of public responses and provides additional resources of how companies have fared much better when they respond to negative feedback. This list is meant to be a primer and I welcome your feedback and additional tips for the Fresh Ideas readers.
Tags: BurrellesLuce, business, communication, crisis, Dad Uses Facebook to Teach Daughter a Lesson, Dominoes Pizza, Facebook, Fresh Ideas, IT, Johna Burke, Mack Collier, media, Media Relations, negative comments, online, public responses, resources, tips, transparent, video
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