Customers may be king in retail, yet few retailers actually know how to run a customer-focused business. Creating a customer-centric culture might sound simple, but the CMO council cites that only 14 percent of marketing firms make customer-centricity a goal of their company. Despite a large volume of customer data, organizations feel overwhelmed. Others simply lack the technology to profile customers or target personalized communications. In spite of all this, customer-centricity is more important than ever, especially as the retail landscape changes in 2020. Wondering how you can build a customer-centric culture? Read on for five key tips.
Why is Customer-Centricity Important?
First, let’s explore why customer-centricity matters. Whether your business is large or small, without customers, you won’t survive. Therein lies the reason why customer-centricity is important. Any business or organization that forgets about customers is bound to fail. You’ll build the wrong products, engage poorly, and invest in the wrong resources.
A brand that focuses on customer-centricity is bound to succeed. That means focusing on products that meet a customer’s needs, anticipating wants, and providing a level of customer service so profound, that your brand practically promotes itself. How can you build a customer-centric culture?
#1 Collect Customer Feedback
It goes without saying that communication with your customers is paramount to building a customer-centric company. You have to communicate both frequently and regularly with anyone who engages with your brand. In the modern digital world, there are numerous ways in which you can collect this feedback.
The easiest is to hire an IT software engineering company to build a platform that allows you to communicate with customers via apps or the internet of things. The right team can help you understand your target customers and their evolving needs. A great software engineering company can also help you with collecting data and location services on customers. A few more options for collecting feedback include:
- Chat
- SMS
- In-app messages
- Facebook Messenger
- Message boards
Remember, as long as you’re collecting feedback and heeding customer advice, you can’t go wrong. Of course, a good well-developed app for your brand can’t hurt either!
#2 Be Accessible
It should never be difficult for a customer to reach out for support. Yes, there is a huge financial expenditure in servicing customers. This is why many brands will hide their support behind many web-pages. Odds are, you’ve encountered more than a few brands that made it difficult to find a contact phone number or email.
However, this is not a customer-centric approach. Being customer-centric means being accessible. Make it easy for your customers to get in touch. Include your phone number prominently at the top of every web-page. If possible, offer several ways to reach out, including email, chat, phone, or social media. Always make sure that the ‘Contact Us’ page on your site is clearly defined and easy to find.
#3 Look Beyond the Sale
Every brand wants to make money, but repeat sales are more important than one-off sales. That is why it is important to look beyond the purchase. Your goal should always be to get customers to buy a product or service. Even more, you want those customers to come back and buy again. Studies suggest that it costs a whopping five times more to attain a new customer, rather than to retain a current one.
How do you encourage customers to purchase again? Provide them with added benefits. Look beyond the sale and create a memorable customer experience. Offer discounts on repeat purchases or affiliate earnings from spreading the word. Additionally, feel free to offer experiences. For example, let’s say you sell hiking boots. Why not offer a free guide to the best hikes in America or tips on hiking for beginners? Each could motivate a buyer to become a brand loyalist, urging them to come back for more.
