A CUSTOMER LOYALTY LADDER

BY AMIT MITTAL, Business Coach, Consulting & Advisory

A satisfied customer is a boon to any business. To create a customer of varying interests in a digital and competitive world is a challenge for a business. A satisfied customer is a foundation to A CUSTOMER LOYALTY LADDER. Every business organization must recognize the buying behaviour of its customers which gives a fair insight into the product created. Your best customers are built in the first interaction.

A LOYALTY LADDER moves upward from a suspect customer at the bottom rung to a raving fan, thus developing a promising business relationship between the two, meeting the needs of both. 

Let us explore these customers loyalty movement starting from the bottom of the loyalty ladder.

SUSPECT

One becomes a suspect customer when they fit your target market and when a product has potential to match the need of a suspect, a suspect customer emerges. It’s a massive pool of potential customer. Get them to get on your website, and get in touch with them. Until someone says they are interested, they are not prospects. Your job is to turn them into shoppers, Do we have systemised method to phone them?

2. PROSPECT

A prospect is commonly known as a prospective buyer. A buyer whose potentials of buying power is visible through its browsing habits, its desire to enquire and interest in a product. A customer of this category frequents its place of interests and is often recognize through its knowledge of a product.

3. SHOPPER 

A person purchases something from you for the first time and you acquire their details, they become a shopper. They have not purchased second time from you, but now have their details on database. Your job is to get them back again so that they get use to your product or service. What are you doing  to make them come for the second transaction?

4. CUSTOMER

When a shopper buys for the second time from the business is considered as a customer. They are getting use to your product. There is potential for them to become a member as best customers can become members into the business.

5. MEMBER 

Is a person when they develop a sense of belongingness in your business. How is it you are creating the membership about the business, like members only deal or offers. Some kind of loyalty program. Customer should feel like buying again with you. 20% customers are big part of your success. Make them members, make them special, Interact with existing customers through Facebook, Twitter, etc. Tell them how good is there experience, Eg, an overcooked food was replaced in 60 sec to the table. That is the experience.

6. ADVOCATE 

Is the one who promote your business, your products and their overall experiences to others through word of mouth, references or even social media by sharing your website links, groups, pages etc., Someone who refer new prospects to the business that may leads to potential sale. Best customer service happens when things are not in control or you make mistakes, they see it if you are good at it or bad at it. Bad Customer Service Eg, if someone ask what can I do to fix this for you, if you have to ask, then you should not have the job. You should take action and do it immediately.

7. RAVING FAN

At the top of the ladder stands the raving fan.

They sell for you. It is important for a good customer service to provide these customers with rewards and loyalty programs, so that they continue to associate with your business organization. Taking action, converts them into Raving Fans. Like, the Harley Davidson having excellent customer service, customers tattooing logo all over the body. Our goal is to go from suspect to raving fans. 

One such example is that of FedEx.
They want customers to – 
‘Stay, Say and Pay.’
Rather than,
‘Walk, Squawk and Balk.’

EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CREATE A RAVING FAN THAT RULES THE TOP OF THE LOYALTY LADDER.

Good customer service is PROACTIVE 

Proactive recognizes the loopholes or any drawbacks beforehand that could come in the way of customer satisfaction. It is aimed at going beyond the customer’s expectation. A proactive strives to become better at providing best to their customers by being creative and innovative thinking out of the box and establishing newness in the products and services.

An effective customer service aims at listing MOMENT OF TRUTH.

It is imperative for customer service to recognize, identify and list the needs of its customers and their products interests and buying patterns. Their inclination, reasons of quitting, or any change that affect the interaction between the customers and the business organization. 

THE WOW FACTOR 

CONSISTENCY + EASY TO BUY = WOW FACTOR

 A wow factor consists of creating a consistency of a product for the customer and non – painstaking experience, an easy availability or accessibility to a product. Purchasing online is one such experience of Easy To Buy. 

Above all, provide your customer with a value and a great service for every money they spend on your products and services, to always remember and return back to you for more.