As your business grows, you want to build strong connections with your customers. Your customers are part of the family, and your business cannot exist without them. Use these five ideas as pillars of your sales and support program. You need customers who buy and refer your business, but you must create an environment where everyone feels comfortable. Consider rolling each of these ideas at different points throughout the year for the best results.
1. Mobile Messaging
Mobile messaging is the simplest way to reach customers. Sending SMS or MMS messages to customers provides you with a 100% open rate, and each message sends a clear signal to the consumer about your company’s intentions. You can announce new products or sales in an instant. Text messages allow your customers to respond with vital details about an order or delivery, and consistent mobile messaging allows members of your team to reach out for additional assistance.
For example, mobile messages announce when a plumber will arrive. The customer can see their appointment time, and they can respond that they have an emergency and must reschedule. It is easy to make that change using a mobile message. Secondarily, the plumber can text the customer asking for more specific directions to their location or request details on an emergency. Some companies use this method exclusively because it is so convenient.
2. Live Chat
Live chat channels allow customers to speak to a chatbot or customer service agent. This is the simplest and quietest form of customer service. Customers can reach out at any time, even while they are at work. The live chat session prevents an intrusive phone call, and the chatbot can provide basic information before the customer ever reaches an agent.
Agents can easily pull these conversations from a central hub, and they offer direct service in moments. The live chat window also accepts emails if the office is closed for the day. Most customers expect to see a live chat bubble at the bottom of your homepage, and they are more likely to ask questions simply because they do not need to call or email.
3. Digital Savings
Digital coupons are popular with the advent of the digital wallet. Customers can keep their boarding passes in a digital wallet, or they can save your coupons to the digital wallet for future use. You can even send notifications to customers that they have not used their coupons yet.
Digital coupons are also a wonderful way to drive impulse purchases. Allow your customers to download the coupons instantly. When they click on the coupon in the wallet, it should bring them to your website where they can apply the coupon instantly. You can do the same with coupons for a gift when customers come to your store. Forcing customers to hunt for coupons in emails is frustrating, and they are much easier to scan when using the digital wallet.
4. Email
Sending emails to your customers is an important part of educating through content. Yes, you can reach customers through email with sales and discounts, but this is a good time to educate your customer base. Write educational emails to your customers at least once a week explaining how to use your products, why your products are beneficial, or explaining secondary uses for your products.
If you provide a service, send emails explaining why your service is necessary at different times of the year. For example, plumbers can explain that checking your pipes in the fall helps you prevent frozen pipes in the winter. You might explain the signs of a broken or malfunctioning water heater, or you can share tips for keeping the drains clear. Educated customers are more likely to choose your business in the future.
5. Feedback
Ask for feedback as much as possible. Customers can respond to your mobile messages with feedback after a service, or they can explain why they are frustrated in the present. Taking feedback allows your business to grow, and you can quickly implement changes right away. You have a record of every complaint, and you can alter your approach accordingly. You also have a record of all the kudos you receive from customers. When you know that customers like certain things about your business, you can double down to improve their experience.
Connect With Your Customers Today
You can connect with your customers today using mobile messages so that you reach them directly on their mobile devices, or you can try a range of other options from email to live chat. Each of these items will help your business grow and improve the customer experience. You are learning more about your customers as you roll out these items, and your customers feel they have a voice because they can see the changes you make based on their feedback.
