According to experts, you don’t need your customers to be loyal—you do. Although such advice may seem self-evident, research suggests that loyalty programs are overlooking this fundamental principle when it comes to motivating customer loyalty.
The state of loyalty at the moment
Customer loyalty programs appear to be successful at first glance. Customers who sign up for a loyalty program do not necessarily continue to do business with that brand or return regularly, as marketers have discovered. It’s easy to see why: consumers have more options and information than ever before, and they’re easily distracted.
Rethink loyalty
Loyalty programs must follow suit. Customers are attracted to companies that focus on the tenets of great experiences: making it simple, effective, and creating an emotional connection. Every interaction is significant. Even the most innovative loyalty program will fail if customers have a negative experience with the brand.
Prioritize the customer over product sales if you want to stand out. Customers will quickly recognize generic, commoditized loyalty programs and will be less likely to return. Try it out and see what happens. Create a testing environment that allows the company to continuously innovate. Customer loyalty is important in business, but a successful loyalty strategy isn’t about the company’s perspective. Successful loyalty strategies are customer-centric and address the question, “What’s in it for me?” Customers’ opinions matter, and listening to and acting on them ensures that the brand’s response is compelling. Customer Loyalty is something that Cegura Technologies can help with.
