Being a ‘one-hit-wonder’ causes many a music artist a lifetime of existential angst as they try to replicate their initial commercial success. Many have fallen by the wayside striving to do so, yet others react very differently. Case in point, Los del Río. The Spanish Latin pop and dance duo was formed in 1962 by Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruiz Perdigones, known for perhaps the most famous one-hit wonder in modern history, 1993’s Macarena.
Few in the enterprise world have been able to make their fortunes and sustain businesses at scale based on ‘one-hit wonders’. The reality is that they have to keep on a constant path of innovation, maintaining customer service excellence along the way. Attracting new clients to any brand’s fold is one thing. Delighting them the first time they purchase is another but a whole different (and more profitable) story is being able to maintain their loyalty, keeping them as a client over the long term. Getting them coming back for more. Only consistently great post-sales customer service can do this.
Loyalty and Customer Service
The answer to what customers truly value the most is stunningly simple: their time. And according to Forrester, nearly two-thirds of adults say that the most important thing a company can do is to demonstrate that they value their customers’ time by providing a good customer experience, the heavy lifting coming after the initial sale.
I think you’ll agree that most of us would be likely to switch brands if we found the purchasing process too difficult but after one negative experience post-purchase, 51% of us would never do business with that company again (source: Newvoicemedia.com). Therein lies the power and importance of a fantastic post-sales reputation: most of us accept the fact that not every experience will be perfect the first time. It’s how an organization deals with us when the road gets a little bumpy that determines whether we will ever buy from them again.
New Messaging Channels Emerge
Traditionally, post-sales customer service was defined by the phone call, but a decade ago things started to change: 2010 was the year WhatsApp emerged as one of the most common messaging apps. The very next year, Facebook launched the Messenger app and others followed. Suddenly there was a way to communicate with people without having to talk. But this was firmly in the person-to-person (P2P) domain only.
Businesses started to catch on to the dynamic power of digital channels using SMS, (particularly two-way) to help them converse with their clients. This provided a great way of saving all stakeholders time answering post-sales oriented questions, taking some of the load off traditional call centers – saving enterprises money in the process. Mitto has extended brands’ ability to engage with customers via all major chat apps. This is great news. 60% of customers make a digital self-service tool their first choice for post-sales service, provided one is available. (source: American Express)
While some maintain that any enterprise’s focus should be on client acquisition, here at Mitto we firmly believe that it doesn’t make sense to prioritize acquisition over satisfaction. Growing businesses need both: one cannot be jettisoned at the expense of the other.
Customer-centric growth is as much an acquisition tactic as it is a retention tactic. And Mitto’s comprehensive suite of omnichannel mobile engagement solutions, now encompassing major chat apps, can help your business ensure your total customer experience hits the mark time and again. Look after your customers and they will keep looking after you.
