Offering quality products is extremely important, but building customer loyalty is essential for business success. In addition to cost-effectiveness, the shopping experience is what influences the customer’s decision to return or not to buy in the same place. A positive experience increases the chance of return, while a negative one decreases.
How to make the consumer experience better?
According to Olindo Caverzan Junior, director and specialist in perfumery at Água de Cheiro, the mistake many companies make is forgetting that the main part of a business is the public and that, without it, no business can go forward.
“There are several important factors that make the experience better every day, but I would say that the most important part of an organization is listening to what consumers have to talk. When you have an open channel with your client for a good relationship, you can understand what he is looking for, what he thinks needs to be improved and his suggestions. It gives you all the information you need to help any company become great.”
The importance of loyalty
The brand director explains that it is necessary for companies to assume a strategy aimed at consumer satisfaction at all stages of the purchase process. “Many people believe that after completion of the sale, no longer need to worry about customers; at that moment, they end up sinning and losing the chance to retain consumers, who, if they were satisfied with the service received, would choose the same store on a next occasion”.
Below are some of the main points of the purchase process and tips on how to offer a positive experience:
1. Invest in service
Salespeople are a customer’s first contact when entering the store and, therefore, train the team so that everyone knows the correct way to to communicate and treating people is extremely necessary. The way in which the service is carried out makes all the difference in the experience, since the consumer feels exclusive during his shopping period and realizes that the attendant is there to help with whatever is needed with all the attention. The customer feels good and has a positive first impression of the store, an important factor when choosing whether to shop there again or not.
2. Simplify eCommerce
For an e-commerce to attract people, it needs to be simple, without too many complications, making it inviting for customers to visit the store again and again. So, have a nice and intuitive design that makes it easier for people to navigate.
Another tip is to put as much information as possible, whether about the products or about the company – such as history and contact number. It is important to make the acquisition period as quick as possible, because when too many steps are taken, users may give up completing the registration. Therefore, the simpler the process from choosing to the payment part, the better.
3. Use social media
Social networks are super important tools to maintain a good and active relationship with the brand’s admirers. With them, it is possible to show a little of the company, creating a greater connection with people. With social media, it is also possible to show the brand’s positioning, answer questions, respond to complaints, carry out promotions and announce launches. They are a great channel for faster exchanges and without communication noise.
4. Be transparent about deadlines
Being transparent about product stock and delivery time is essential. The delay in the arrival of your product can cause the consumer to have a bad experience and lose confidence in the establishment. In view of this, it is important to be transparent about the delivery time and only promise a deadline that you can meet, so as not to have bad impressions about the company’s reliability.
5. Make payment easy
When we talk about consumer experience, we are also referring to facilitating the payment methods available, both in physical stores and in e-commerce. Often, a customer fails to finalize the purchase because the payment method he had planned is not accepted or because the company does not allow a number of installments that fits in his pocket. Thus, it is essential invest in as many forms of payment as possible, and not just the classic bill and credit card. The variety offered can increase the chances of the sale being finalized.
6. Stand out
In a market with millions of establishments with the same items, it is important to find ways to stand out, such as gifts that add value to your product, promotions, benefits and guarantees. Some of the most used ideas that effectively bring return, for example, are discount coupons for first purchases. In this way, it is possible to encourage people to get to know the organization and thus become loyal customers. Progressive discounts also encourage the purchase of more items, as it is more advantageous.
7. Invest in after sales
It is with the after-sales relationship that consumers are often loyal. When a company has an open channel to listen to complaints and possible problems, making itself available to help promptly, it turns the experience, despite being negative, into a positive one due to the excellent service. When this after-sales relationship does not take place, all stages of the process end up being in vain, as the company will pass a negative image who cares only about selling the product, not about the human being.
By Mariana Assis
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.