In this article you will find out…
- Why it is more important than ever to listen to your customers
- Tips on how to build really good customer relationships
- What word of mouth is and what advantages it gives you
- How your best customers can also become your best sellers
Quicksearch has been conducting relationship surveys for over 20 years and are experts in statistics, survey methodology and analysis.
Let's paint a scenario:
Stina has just moved away from home. The first thing she prioritizes in her new apartment is a sofa and a close friend has told her to check out Kalles Möbler. It must be a good company. She trusts the friend and therefore looks up the company on the web. She finds a sofa that speaks to her, but before she makes the decision to order it online, she reads what other customers have said about it.
Stina weighs the reviews against each other and decides to visit the store and see the sofa in real life. In the store, she is well received by the staff. In the end, she decides to buy the sofa and four days later it is delivered. Two days after that, she receives an email asking her to answer the question "How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend?". Stina feels positively about the company so she gives them a 10. She is given the option to write a comment on her answer: "Home in four days. Excellent service in store. Lives up to expectations!"
The next time Stina's other friends are looking for a furniture store, she recommends Kalles Möbler.
She has now become a loyal customer of the company - an ambassador.
Ambassadors are your most loyal customers. They are willing to put their own reputation on the line to recommend you to a friend. And ambassadors can be used to the company's advantage! In addition to often accounting for the highest turnover, they promote your brand and thus sell your products/services indirectly.
On the other hand, if you want to keep your ambassadors, you have to treat them right!
Listen to your ambassadors
It's easy to think that you don't need to worry about the ambassadors because they're already positive about your company. On the contrary, you should take advantage of their feedback and try to understand what they think is good. They can help you find new customers and develop your product/service.
As the story shows, Stina gave her high marks to the company because the staff in the store were nice. As a company, you then know that your customers value service above all else and can work to maintain the high quality of your employees. Listening to your ambassadors is the first step towards a good relationship with your customers.
Protect your customer relationship
How do you take care of your customer relations then?
It is important to take contact with your ambassadors, and don't wait to do so. Follow up with your customers after each step of the sales process. What did Stina think of her purchase? What did she think of the service? The home page? Don't think that you should take the opportunity to ask all the questions after the first purchase - ask your customers "when the feeling is fresh".
Help your customers present their feedback as a public one review! In our story, Stina was careful to read reviews before making a decision; potential customers are often interested in what previous customers think. It can be completely decisive for a purchase to be completed.
And don't ignore the customer after the sale. To come two years later and ask "are you still a customer of ours?" is pointless, then you may have already lost Stina as a customer. Continuity is important.
Reward systems build good customer relations
To further engage your loyal customers, you can offer rewards. For example, you can give bonuses to the person who recruits a new customer and the person who is recruited. Setting up competitions and letting the customer collect points that can later be exchanged for a nice reward is also a way to stimulate your ambassadors and build a stronger customer relationship.
Download our white paper on 7 ways to use ambassadors to read additional tips on how to take advantage of your most loyal customers.
Word of mouth
Keep track of how your ambassadors are talking about you, both on and off social media. They usually spontaneously invite others to check out your product or service - just like Stina's friend did. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to promote your brand and all you need to do is maintain a good customer relationship. Your ambassadors do the work for you and spread a good reputation about you and your products.
The benefits of word of mouth
An advantage of word of mouth is that information that is spread from person to person is perceived as more credible than if it comes from a large company. In our scenario, Stina was recommended Kalles Möbler by a friend. She trusts that it is the right store for her because in her eyes the friend is trustworthy.
Word of mouth is also a way to market yourself or your product to the right target group. Who does Stina tell about Kalle's furniture? Well, a friend who needs a new couch. Why recommend a product or service to someone who has no use for it? Satisfied customers are more likely to tell someone they think would be interested about your product.
Good customer relations require quick contact
Social media is also an excellent platform to quickly make contact with your customers and having a conversation. Be sure to tell your customers how they can contact you, for example through a chat, email or Facebook. Have at least one customer service representative who deals with customers when they encounter problems or have questions. If you do not have time to treat all customers, prioritize your ambassadors so they can continue to spread "good word of mouth".
Employees are also important
Of course, your ambassadors are in more places than your customers. Yours coworker are some of your most important ambassadors when they are willing to recommend your company. If you take good care of them, they will in turn take good care of your customers. Read more about loyal employees and how to find them using eNPS®!
Summation
Your most loyal customers are your ambassadors. They recommend your company to others and advocate your new products and services. In order to maintain the number of ambassadors, and create more, you must engage them. Having a good relationship with your most loyal customers is then crucial. They can easily advocate for you through word of mouth. In addition to having ambassadors among your customers, you will also find them among your employees.
