Regardless of the industry you’re in, it’s essential to prioritize and connect with your customers to be successful. While today’s technology offers lots of options for how we reach our clients, businesses must work across a variety of channels to build lasting relationships. Because of the noise of all these channels, and, mind you, lots of other businesses are using them to communicate with your clients as well, it’s harder than ever to stand out and develop genuine relationships with customers. To help with this, we created a playbook full of 14 Proven Ways to Strengthen Your Customer Relationships to help business owners of all industries build strong relationships with their customers. One of the most efficient methods found in our guide is leveraging surprise and delight to drive customer loyalty. (Like sending a Thanks for your ‘LoyalTea’ with the Thnks app)
Why build relationships with customers?
We express appreciation to the people in our lives daily, whether it’s through a “thank you” note to a friend for a ride to the airport or a pat on the back for a job well done with a colleague. Businesses showing appreciation for their customers is built on the same idea, but it’s a bit more than a simple note. By thoughtfully recognizing your clients, you can show that you value them and want to continue building a relationship. Actively showing client appreciation correlates to high customer satisfaction and an increase in the number of patrons who return to a business. More specifically, 81% of businesses that deliver an excellent customer experience outperform their competitors and build relationships with their customers.
Showing appreciation is the key to avoiding customer churn.
The number one reason why customers decide to switch partners is that they feel unappreciated. When it comes down to it, people do business with people they like. The more sincere your displays of gratitude are, the more likely you are to earn your clients’ confidence. For example, 65% of buyers think that positive experiences with brands are more influential than advertising campaigns, meaning that the customer experience plays a stronger role in how buyers view your brand than the media that you’re paying for. In addition to the fact that 64% of customers don’t feel “well known” by their partners, this shows that incorporating appreciation in your outreach can deepen the bond between you and your clients and set you apart from the competition. An easy way to begin building relationships with customers is by enacting surprise and delight.
Give your clients a random act of kindness.
61% of individuals believe that the best way to engage consumers is by giving surprise offers or gestures for being a customer. By sending them a “Thnks a Latte,” a movie night in, or lunch from their favorite local spot to show your gratitude, your unexpected offerings will delightfully surprise your clients and leave them with a positive view of your company. In addition, specialized gestures that show an understanding of your clients will earn loyalty and repeat business from them even more quickly. In one study, singling out clients with a personalized gesture increased their likelihood to respond to inquiries or general communications from that same business. By reaching out to your customers directly to show your appreciation, you can make them feel valued while also creating opportunities to listen to any concerns or comments that they may have. You don’t have to be grandiose when you practice client appreciation: even small, simple expressions can make meaningful impressions and will help you to establish a lasting emotional connection that they won’t forget.
Saying Thnks is the easiest way to practice client appreciation and delight your customers.
Thnks can help you seamlessly integrate gratitude into your client exchanges by allowing you to swiftly send personalized gestures of appreciation instantly by email or text. With Thnks, you can thoughtfully create shared experiences that will allow you to build long-lasting, meaningful relationships with customers. We’ve got the little details, like mailing addresses, expenses or compliance, covered so that you can focus on what matters most: practicing gratitude to grow your customer relationships.
Check out our case study with AdRoll to learn more about how they are using Thnks to scale gratitude across the business. Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo, or click here to learn more about expressing gratitude in business!
