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Ensuring Your Customers Feel Valued

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StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article |Valued Customers|Ensuring Your Customers Feel ValuedIn business, you have to make sure that your customers get everything they want from you. To do that, you’ve got to create a sense of value; your customers want to feel like you care about them, and have more to offer them specifically, as it’s the best way to promote a sense of brand loyalty amongst your customer base.

However, how can you go about ensuring your customers come back when you’ve got so many competitors to deal with as well? Everyone is trying to build a loyal customer base, and drive up sales with both new and repeat custom – what can you offer that’s different? Pure value, especially when you follow the ideas below.

Don’t End Your Customer Service at the Checkout

The customer service you provide for the people who shop with you needs to extend beyond the point of sale. It’s not a one-and-done kind of deal here; you need to check in with your customers after they’ve left, to see what they think of their experience and their product, and whether or not they have suggestions for what can be done better.

So ask for their email addresses at the checkout – it’s the best way to both boost your mailing list and ensure you can easily contact them again once they’re out of the door or have closed down your website. It’s best to make this an optional agreement, as people who are already willing to shop with you are more likely to sign up when they’re simply given the choice to.

Give Them a Reason to Come Back

Giving your customers a reason to return and shop with you is key to building the type of value you’re looking for here. You need them to want to come back, because you’ve got something great for them to spend their hard earned cash on, and moreover, you’ve got some benefits for them to reap at the same time.

Which is why a Rewards Network always works out best in this scenario. You’re offering your customers a program in which, if they subscribe to the idea, they get to enjoy free items or money off coupons in the future. It’s a great incentive, and it shows you value the people who shop with you.

Use Their Feedback

Finally, and following on from our first point, make sure you take the feedback a customer gives you and actually put it to good use. If you get the same kind of feedback from more than one person, you can be sure it’s a problem you actually need to address – maybe there are not enough staff on the floor, or maybe it takes too long to checkout, etc.

Take this feedback and make a change based on it, and then tell your customers you’ve made that change. Announce new and exciting changes to the way your business works, and invite them back to come and see them.

Your customers need value; are you offering it?

Signs Your Business Could Benefit From a Mobile App

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Mobile App|Signs Your Business Could Benefit From a Mobile AppWhether you’re aiming to capture new customers or delight the existing ones, creating a mobile app is a fantastic opportunity to improve and market your business.

With the rapid adoption of smartphones comes a great deal of opportunities.

To enhance your business and create more effective communication with target customers, you need to determine whether your customers would embrace the app.

What kind of app do you need? Who is your target market, and who are your competitors?

Here are a few ways you can do that and create more business opportunities!

Check your mobile traffic visitors

The first and the most important clue that your business could benefit from a mobile app is checking your website traffic. If you determine that a large share of your overall traffic comes from mobile users, there is your sign!

Use online tools such as Google Analytics to count the number of visits and check the mobile traffic ratio.

These kinds of tools also allow you to detect priority markets by looking at the countries that your traffic comes from. This will additionally help you to examine your website traffic and develop your app according to the demand.

According to Statista, mobile traffic accounts for about half of the website traffic worldwide, with almost 51% of global website traffic, and this has been consistent since 2017.

When you examine your website traffic, you will be able to determine whether a mobile app is the right solution for your business.

Then you can follow up by taking the necessary steps, such as using a responsive design and optimizing the user experience.
Do your customers need to use your service offline?

Depending on the type of your business, it is up to you to determine whether your customers could benefit from using some features of your website offline.

What is it that the offline access to your app would provide for them? Is it your content or maybe the tools you offer in the app? Or are they more attracted by constant availability and the speed of search?

Firstly, your customer won’t be frustrated with poor connectivity issues anymore.

These kinds of apps are especially popular with businesses like games and mobile entertainment, news, and guides, training and education, online shopping, and traveling.

Some of the basic examples of successful offline apps are Spotify, Kindle, TripAdvisor, and Google Maps. Although the app requires a connection to download and install updates, you can continue to use all its content offline, unlike with a classic business website.

By granting offline access to your services through an app, you are gaining more customer loyalty and providing them with a faster loading process. It also saves their battery and simplifies work with storage.

Try to look at things from your customer’s perspective. Would you as a customer prefer offline access to your app?
This allows you to determine whether this option would make sense for your type of business.

Who are your competitors?

The next question for you to consider is: are your competitors using mobile apps?

If so, then chances are that there is a demand for an app in your industry. The competitors have already tested the waters for you, so you can use that to your advantage.

When you conduct detailed research on your competitors and study their efforts and strategies, you will easily get an idea of whether your business will benefit from introducing a mobile app.

The app market is huge and you can surely find a dozen competitors with a mobile app. Learn from them, improve their approach and examine their marketing plan.

Use your competitors to your advantage. Check whether they are using the offline approach and better working conditions. Notice if they are focused on a top-notch UX/UI design. Do proper competitive analysis and make sure to check reviews from current and previous users.

This will allow you to find the best fit for your business.

Examine your demographics

You need to adjust your marketing efforts and observe how user behavior varies depending on different factors.

Did you know that 49% of people open an app more than 11 times per day? And even more so, that 21% of Millenials open an app more than 50 times per day?

As mentioned before, it is not just a way to gain more customers, but to keep the old ones as well, especially if they spend a lot of time on their phones!

A mobile app has many advantages over a website and offers many new possibilities to personalize marketing and improve customer experience.

Going back to your competitors, you should determine the regions where their site traffic comes from. Define your typical app user. Define his age, gender, language, education, and familial status.

All of this information will help you create your target group, which is of crucial importance for creating your app.
Your target group needs to share similar demographics and interests. You start by defining them and go further into planning. You adjust your features and design according to their preferences.

Find out their occupation. You will know their purchasing power, whether they have time for your app, and whether they’ll need it for professional purposes.

Conclusion

To determine whether to introduce a mobile app for your business, it is important that you follow these steps and cover all aspects.

Bear in mind- all information you can gather is valuable.

When you examine your mobile traffic, competitors, and demographics, you will get a clear idea for the next step in your business. Mobile apps are on the rise, and this could largely affect your business’s future.

So do your research, adjust your app features and bring your business to a whole new level!

About the Author

Joe Peters is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and an ultimate techie. When he is not working his magic as a marketing consultant, this incurable tech junkie devours the news on the latest gadgets and binge-watches his favorite TV shows. Follow him on @bmorepeters

Recession Survival Tips: How Your Business Can Come Out Stronger

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |recession survival|Recession Survival Tips: How Your Business Can Come Out StrongerDid you know that almost 18 million people were unemployed in the USA in June 2020? The ongoing fight against the Coronavirus has led to unpreceded financial losses and a bleak outlook for the future.

If you are a business owner you are no doubt interested in recession survival. What can you do to ensure that your business stays afloat?

Take a few minutes to read our in-depth article to find out what you can do.

Reduce Your Outgoings

When a recession hits, it affects everyone. This means that you can use this as a bargaining tool with creditors.

First, you should call your landlord and negotiate rent terms. If you have been on the premises for some time and have built up a good relationship with the owner, you will have a strong bargaining position.

Landlords will always want to retain good tenants rather than search for new occupants that may or may not be as reliable as you.
This is the first step in your recession survival strategy. If you want to know why a strategy is so important you can learn more from this page.

Collect Owed Money Quickly

Recessions tend to become gradually worse as more and more businesses are affected. This means that you should try to collect any debts as quickly as possible before debtors are unable to repay.

You can offer incentives such as a small discount for fast payment. However, ensure that any larger incentives are not offered to every customer.

Why? Because of your next goal.

Retain Existing Customers

Simply put, retaining customers is easier and cheaper than finding new ones. In fact, customer loyalty can make the difference between survival and sinking during a recession.

If you offer low prices, communicate regularly with existing customers. Emphasize the need for the cost-effective pricing you offer during a recession.

If you do not offer the cheapest prices on the market, emphasize the quality of the product you offer and the need to invest in quality during hard times.

Listen to your customers and offer them the best incentives you can. Do your best to meet their exceptional needs during an exceptional time.

Layoffs: Do it Quickly and Kindly

Laying off employees, especially long-serving employees, is never easy. However, when possible, try to do it early in the recession and while showing compassion and preserving dignity.

Early layoffs that are well planned will reassure the remaining staff that their place is valued and assured. This will prevent unnecessary anxiety and possible staff leaving of their own accord.

Recession Survival and Other Necessary Skills in 2020

Not even world leaders saw the COVID-19 crisis coming. And no one could have predicted the full economic tidal wave that came with it.
However, this does not mean that your business is doomed in the coming recession. By applying these recession survival tips, you can ensure that your business stays afloat and even registers growth.

If you are interested in learning more about business and lifestyle developments, then we are here to help. We gather the latest information and bring it to you via our feed. Take a look today!

The Emerging Strategy of Innovative Service

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The world of the customer has dramatically changed. The tough economy has made customers more value conscious, demonstrating far more caution in how they spend their hard-earned dollar. The proliferation of self-service (while a blessing when it works) has made customers more frustrated when they feel trapped in a process with no live person to help. And the Internet, with its social media reach, has empowered customers with strong influence over other customers and the reputation of companies.

Such a plethora of challenges has required all organizations to rethink their strategy. Since revenue from customers and the power of their advocacy dramatically impacts organizational growth and profits, assuming “we know what’s best for our customers” is akin to a death knell.

But, the largest challenge today is not the changing expectations of the new, normal picky, fickle, vocal and wired customer. It is their requirement for an experience that heightens their emotional connection and ramps up their affinity. Customers are bored and want their hearts to race and their spirits to soar. And, here is the backstory.

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About the Author

Chip R. Bell is a customer loyalty consultant and the author of several national best-selling books. His last three books include The 9 ½ Principles of Innovative Service, Managers as Mentors (with Marshall Goldsmith) and Wired and Dangerous (with John Patterson). He can be reached at www.chipbell.com

What’s your proactive marketing approach to loyalty?

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Dear Jeffrey, I am a huge fan. I recently had a WOW experience that completely coincides with your philosophy on customer loyalty versus satisfaction. Today, I received the following email from Amazon:

Hello, We noticed that you experienced poor video playback while watching the following rental on Amazon Video On Demand: The Hunger Games. We’re sorry for the inconvenience and have issued you a refund for the following amount: $3.99. While Amazon Video On Demand transactions are typically not refundable, we are happy to make an exception in this case. This refund should be processed within the next 2 to 3 business days and will appear on your next billing statement for the same credit card used to purchase this item.

This is amazing to me for a few reasons. Yes, I did notice that my movie was buffering more than usual and, yes, it was annoying. However, it was nothing more than a minor frustration. I didn’t complain. I didn’t complete a survey or give any feedback about this experience. Truthfully, until I received this email, I hadn’t given it a second thought.

When I got this email, it stopped me in my tracks. THEY NOTICED. They noticed that this particular experience was below their normal standards. But what’s more important, THEY NOTICED WITHOUT ME TELLING THEM.

Good companies would refund my money if I complained. Of course they would, that is expected. I never have had a company refund my money without being prompted. Never. And this, this was a surprise.

Would I have used them again even if they did not refund my money? Yes, often. So what’s the difference? I wouldn’t have REFERRED them. I received this email today at 2:18pm. Since then, I have told all my coworkers I came in contact with, posted this on my Facebook wall, and now am writing you.

Amazon lost four dollars today, but they gained a customer for life! It was so impressive, I had to share. Make it a great day, Candace

Brilliant, eh? Proactive, memorable service.

Amazon is monitoring the quality of their streaming bandwidth and can identify quality issues. Then, they DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. No waste of time and money “survey,” no phony empty apology, just a good, old fashioned admission of guilt, and a proactive refund for poor performance.

My bet is Amazon has given thousands of these, and the same customer response has happened with every one of them. What a strategy! Let’s make sure the customer experience was great, or let’s give them a refund.

Simple. Powerful. Profitable. Give up $4.00 to earn thousands. I wonder who thought that one up? Certainly not their advertising agency.

Look at the elements of business and sales as a result of Amazon’s action, and customer reaction: a huge wow, several social postings, more social proof, an amazing testimonial, customer loyalty, and pass along value that cannot be measured on any ROI scale. Amazon’s actions breed return on proactive, memorable service – the WOW factor, social response, and customer word of mouth. It’s WAY beyond ‘priceless’ – in the long term, it’s worth a fortune.

HERE’S YOUR LESSON: You can invest in some marketing program to reach new people – or you can invest in giving your existing customers the best service possible, and let THEM find new people for you.

PREDICTION: I’ll bet the investment in existing customer experience is one-tenth the cost of any marketing program. In fact, I doubt this type of outreach is even on a marketing team’s mindset. They’re still in the Stone Age measuring ‘ROI.’

Amazon has lead the Internet all the way with vision and tenacity. Quality and value. Ease of doing business, buy with one click. Suggestive buying and published reviews. Not just price, delivery.

And now add to that list: proactive WOW interaction. They dominate because they differentiate. They dominate because they innovate. They don’t study the market – they create it (like Apple). Most marketing studies are a CYA act of companies afraid to make mistakes, let alone be bold.

Take this lesson to heart – and take it to your customers. If you come up with something creatively compelling, you can also take it to the bank!

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].