By Dave George, SVP & General Manager, netsapiens

Have you ever witnessed avid sports fans vigorously defending their favorite teams from critical jabs? Ask yourself, would your customers do the same for your products and services? That’s the extreme level of loyalty many sports teams receive — the good news is that your company can work to achieve that level of lasting devotion as well!

Consider the following pattern repeated across the country: when a favorite team has a losing season (even coming last in the league), its fans still buy tickets regardless of cost, don the team colors and talk smack to anyone who puts them down. Even when it’s a total loss, sports fans just look past the current season and on to the next opportunity for a great experience.

You can do it!

The truth is that there is a method to this apparent madness. Sports organizations work diligently at keeping fans loyal regardless of whether the team wins or loses. At netsapiens, we want to see our customers grow their businesses; after all, our aim is to help service providers drive positive change for their end-users! As a result, we present five tips — utilized by both world-class customer service providers and professional sports teams alike — that will help build loyalty in your business.

1. Understand the market

In order to fully understand who your most loyal customers are, or could be, survey them about what they like. Stay away from their last experience or transaction. Instead, focus on what keeps them coming back. Work with customers who have been with you the longest, as they are likely willing candidates for frank, useful feedback.

Here are some great questions to ask:

• What is the primary reason you come back to us?
• What is the best thing about the experience with us?
• What is one thing we can improve and how would you feel if we fail at it?
• What makes us more special than other providers you have tried in the past?

Try to avoid getting hung up on yourselves when customers state compliments. Being content with past successes is counter-productive to the goal of the survey. Instead, find ways to do more of what they like and need; where possible, address any areas your customers list as needing improvement. It always pays for a business to be able to demonstrate that they do, in fact, listen to their customers.

2. Differentiate

Because it is quite possible you may provide a similar product or service as other service providers, it is key to avoid providing the same experience. Consider sports teams again. Each team uses a different mascot that performs unique antics at games. Vendors at ballparks use unique selling propositions and promotions. Unique and pleasant experiences create memories that customers want to come back for, again and again. Collaborate with your team on identifying your company’s key value propositions – these should be rooted in providing solutions for common problems facing potential customers in your target market. Surveying your customers as outlined above can help ensure accurate differentiation.  

3. Reward your top-tier

Quite often your loyal customers also spend the most money. From time to time, they should be recognized for it. An occasional incentive or unexpected perk, coupled with a sincere thank you for their loyalty, is usually plenty and provides another positive reinforcement for choosing your products and services. Most sports teams give season ticket holders perks others don’t get; these often include visits from cheerleaders and mascots, opportunities to meet players and coaches, giveaways and league prizes, and visits onto the field. These teams ensure their staff treats their loyal customers with some special recognition.

4. Measure quickly and often

Here are some basic benchmarks to keep in mind when measuring satisfaction and loyalty:

• Gather detailed demographics of loyal and all other customers once a year.
• Survey customer satisfaction through online or written quarterly surveys. There are free and low-cost web based surveys available.
• Conduct transaction surveys randomly throughout the year.

Here is an essential key to maintaining and building loyalty through surveys: Respond quickly to negative feedback. You can likely win back any lost loyalty by showing customers that you listen. For example, the Phantoms, the Triple A hockey affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, conveniently post a number throughout their stadium that customers can text with a complaint or compliment. If fans identify where they are seated, a Phantoms employee will respond to them personally and immediately. Service with a smile counts.

5. Respond

Your customers will continue to do business with you if you let them know you’ll take what they communicate, even if negative, and use it to be better. They complement and complain because they believe in your company and want to continue doing business with you. So, give them feedback as well. Regularly update customers on the information you have gathered and how you will be responding.

Let us know if you find these tips valuable! It is our mission to empower service providers with both our advanced communication technologies and our knowledge. If you have any questions about how you can use netsapiens’ expertise and unified communications services/feature-sets to enhance your business development, contact us at sales@netsapiens.com. We’d love to hear from you.