How To Stop Customers From Breaking Up With You
In this guest post, Fjord’s Bronywn van der Merwe (pictured below) identifies eight ways for brands to keep customers coming back for more.
Once upon a time, winning over a customer’s loyalty was simple. You made the sale, you gave them perfectly adequate customer service, and customers stuck with you. The difficulty and uncertainty of switching brands meant that most customers stayed loyal through thick and thin.
That was then. This is now.
An omni-channel experience
Empowered by a myriad of hyper-connected devices at their disposal, Australian customers now have more information than ever at their fingertips and have more control of when, where and how they interact with brands. They look for consistency regardless of channel, want immediate satisfaction, and expect interactions to be simple and easy.
Australian consumers are in fact demanding truly omni-channel experiences across brands: a continuous experience supported by human, digital and physical channels. As a result, Accenture developed the Keep Me Index to understand what drives brand loyalty, how a brand can keep an emotional connection with their customers and the importance of an omni-channel experience.
In Australia, Canva, a Sydney-based design and publishing online platform, is a great example of a brand that used an omni-channel experience to take control of a customer base. By providing an easy to use, drag-and-drop format, Canva has transformed and simplified graphic design for both non-designers and professionals.
Accenture believes that omni-channel is very important, but not enough to win loyalty. Like any relationship, you have to establish and maintain the emotional connection between a customer and a brand.
The Iconic is an example of an iconic Australian fashion company that has established strong brand loyalty. By being customer-focused, the e-commerce fashion label is committed to understanding the customer’s emotional journey, from their use of analytics to predict consumers shopping habitats to their next day delivery.
The Keep Me Index
Based on extensive research into what thousands of customers are thinking, feeling and saying about the brands they use, Accenture has found eight specific areas that will keep customers loyal.
- Disrupt yourself – Customers have a higher emotional connection to digital disruptors than traditional service providers. Australian organisations need to transform their operations with digital, but also rebrand innovative products and services as head-on competition to the rest of their business.
- Build trust by getting the basics right – Trust is the new currency. Accenture research found that service reliability and affordability are the most prominent reasons for either trusting or distrusting a brand. Australian customers want service they can depend on and they want to feel that they’re getting value for the price they pay.
- Offer customisation in everything – Brand loyalty and affinity all link back to the product, its limited choices and the inability to customise. Accenture believes that Australian organisations need to rethink their pricing models and offer low price points or use other customisation ideas to improve the value proposition of traditional products and services.
- Make every interaction matter – There’s a strong correlation between the way the last interaction made your customer feel and their sentiment towards your brand. Australian organisations need to get the basics right and proactively reach out to customers periodically with tips or relevant offers, so their last interaction made them smile.
- Be a valued asset, not a utility – Australian organisations need to make their mark on customers by expanding into new areas. Australian organisations should consider collaborating with strategic partners to bring customers new valued-added products or services at pace.
- Give them a real reason to stay – Are your customers really loyal? Or is it just too hard to switch? Australian organisations need to ensure they communicate continually about brand, not outside it.
- Grow your advocate base – Accenture’s research found 90 per cent of respondents with high or medium loyalty never talk about a brand. It’s well worth investing to turn these quietly loyal customers into powerful champions who talk frequently and positively about your brand.
- Create your own halo effect – We all know about Google’s halo effect. Customers hold the brand on a pedestal for its innovative use of technology, cool solutions and personalisation. It requires stretching your thinking, stepping out of your comfort zones and challenging the status quo. Australian organisations have to anticipate customer needs and proactively build experiences around them.
Your customers don’t want to leave, so don’t make them. Australian organisations need to use these ideas to strategically plan for and invest in initiatives that help strengthen and expand the emotional connection you have with your customers – and stop them breaking up with you.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Bronywn van der Merwe Customer Loyalty Customers Fjord omni-channel experienceLatest News
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Carsales Strikes With Another Storm-Based Team
Think our hacks are living their sports journalist dreams vicariously through B&T? Confirm it with this reporting.
Commission Factory & AGL Energy Ignite Strategic Partnership To Empower Australian Energy Consumers
Concerned by global warming yet ran the fans non-stop over summer? Add to the guilt with this read.
Allied Nabs Nicola Gold From Pico International Dubai
Seasoned marketer relocates from Dubai to Sydney. Says the shopping's not as good but at least you can get a drink.
Nine’s Push For Gold, Silver & Bronze Ad Opportunities Could Break New Ground In Broadcasting
Nine insists that AI won't dominate its Olympics coverage. And not merely because Bruce McAvaney doesn't understand it.
TV Ratings (16/04/2024): Toxic City Girls Too Much For Farmer Bert
Fans calling out toxic behaviour on Farmer Wants A Wife, seemingly unaware that's the very premise of any dating show.
Kaimera Wins Afterpay ANZ Media Account
Have couriers even started to mention you're overdoing the online shopping? Probably best to avoid this Afterpay news.
Industry Reacts: Stuff Group Swoops In To Save 6pm News After Newshub Closure
As you'll read here, New Zealand's media's in a right state of flux. And nor have they forgotten 1981's underarm.
a2 Milk Launches “Only a2 Will Do’ Brand Platform In First Work From BMF
A2 milk drinkers tend not to bother everyone with their gut health issues & it's a lesson for vegans & the gluten-free.
Can You Recite It In Under 4 Seconds? Maccas Relaunches Iconic Competition With Modern Twist
Do you know what would make a fantastic ad? Drunk people at 3am trying to recite the ”two all-beef patties"
‘Liar, Liar’: Lehrmann Exposed As High Profile Defamation Case Comes To A Close
Having exhausted all avenues in his defamation case, is there only one option left for Bruce - reality television?
MECCA & Fendi Among Premium Advertisers For oOh!media Woollahra OOH Network Launch
If you've not been to the snooty suburb of Woollahra, the locals would like to thank you again for staying well away.
Yahoo Academy Announces Class Of 2024
This academy is strictly for "emerging leaders". Courses don't include 'sleeping at your desk' or 'bunking off early'.
Top 35 Media Leaders Announced For 2024 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program
Despite the ban threats, TikTok keeps marching on. Cementing its reputation as the Julian Assange of the tech.
AiMCO Announces First-Ever Diversity Webinar To Explore Inclusion In Influencer Marketing
Think influencer marketing's a little on the white side? This free webinar's for you. Sadly, it's not given TV ideas.