Customer Relationships

Building relationships is key to customer loyalty. Digital technology enables direct interaction with customers allowing organisations to optimise customer life-cycle management based on customer needs analysis. Businesses now can easily ask customers to tell them what they think, need and want, quantitative research. Qualitative techniques, on the other hand, require thoughtful interpretation of the data. Successful customer relationship marketing is a complex juggling act that requires a long term agile approach to understand customer’s current and future needs.

Turning contacts into customers is enabled through regular, appropriate communication. Digitisation has enabled a platform to continuously listen to customer feedback. It has also given power to the purchaser in that decisions have become fact based.This means that more than ever being genuine to customers delivering effective real customer solutions instead of false promises is imperative. Just like any relationship staying in touch regularly is important. Including a mix of information in your digital communication including what you are doing for customers, as well as sharing interesting articles. Remember too, to send out personalised handwritten notes and follow-up business calls. Making customers feel appreciated by supporting and rewarding them for their loyalty is also key. Experiential learning games can be a great reinforcement and reminder of the importance of customer relationships.