Every business has a different approach to customer service. It is meticulously delivered, based on a well-thought plan and design. That explains why excellent customer experience doesn’t just happenCompetitors can’t copy the different experiences successful companies provide for their customers. It’s because successful businesses have better knowledge of their customer base. They use this knowledge to provide the best customer service. It is in this aspect that successful organizations use the element of
surprise and delight to keep their customers and make them into loyal clients.
What Is the Surprise and Delight Strategy?
According to TechTarget, an industry leader in insights-driven marketing services provider, surprise and delight is a marketing strategy that aims to promote customer loyalty, enhance engagement, and increase retention, leading to improved profitability. Achieving all of this enables businesses to attract customers and nurture relationships with them through captivating and amusing ways.
Surprise and delight strategies come in the form of product upgrades, free services, gift certificates, exclusive discounts, coupons, rewards, and loyalty programs.
How Surprise and Delight Increases Customer Loyalty and Retention
The surprise and delight marketing strategy gives customers unanticipated bonuses, extras, benefits, and freebies with their purchased products or availed services. This, in turn, increases renewed interest in a company’s offerings.
It turns out, the element of surprise and delight is addictive for consumers, and businesses should take advantage of this. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Review, the surprise is a powerful marketing tool. It amplifies emotions and changes customer behavior, driving better relationships between companies and their customers. All business owners know that increased customer loyalty and retention are critical profit drivers.
If you want to surprise and delight your customers to increase loyalty and retention, you’ve already positioned your business for success. To help you in this endeavor, here are methods used by successful companies.
Show Acts of Kindness and Corporate Responsibility
The value of kindness and the desire to do good is unpredictable and immeasurable. Surprising and delighting a dissatisfied customer can turn the situation around. It can enhance customer experience and make them happy. It can motivate them to share your products and services, thus endorsing your brand for free.
Corporate responsibility can range from using sustainable wastewater management systems and supporting local manufacturers to ensuring your products and services reflect your customers’ value. On the other hand, random acts of kindness may include sending personalized notes when you ship your customers’ orders or providing freebies that will complement the products your customers purchased.
Increase and Improve Your Communication Channels
Enhance your customer’s trust in your brand through better communication. Make it easier for them to reach and contact you. Provide all means of communication possible—chatbots, live chats, email, phone calls, in-app messaging, and social media.
Despite all the available communication tools, learn from your customers about their preferred mode of contact. Others would want added privacy that emails provide. Meanwhile, some customers prefer phone calls for faster transactions. Chatbots allow you to provide customer service even when your office is already closed. Some customers, however, prefer human interactions in their chats, so you’d be better off with live chats.
If you already provide customer service through phone calls, avoid using scripts when talking to customers. Hire a support specialist or develop a customer communication strategy that enhances your customers’ experience with your business.
On the other hand, if you can’t support multiple communication channels, it would be best to focus on one or three methods.
An excellent way to learn about your customer’s communication preferences is through feedback after interacting with them. This will help you improve your current communication methods and develop customer support for future communication.
Provide Exclusive Offers
Show customers that you value them with exclusive offers.
You can organize an exclusive event, such as sales and shows, just for your repeat customers. You can label them as “VIPs,” emphasizing your customers’ worth. This will make them feel part of your company’s tight-knit customer community.
Use exclusive shows to build relationships with your customers. Interact with them and learn about what products they love from your store.
You can also provide personalized gifts, which will show that you pay attention to your customers’ wants and needs. You can give them customized emails, discounts, and product offerings. This can motivate customers to purchase your products and make them loyal customers.
Surprise and Delight Your Customers With Excellent Customer Service
While the surprise and delight method is a marketing strategy, it can also be used as a tool to improve customer service. Customer service is the act of assisting and serving your customers so that they can purchase products or avail services from your business.
With that said, use the surprise and delight strategy for your business to increase customer loyalty, retention, and profitability.