Marketing & Sales

What Is a Customer Connection & Why Does It Matter?

Customer connection describes how people relate to your brand on a deeper level and can create a loyal following that’s great for business. 

A brand's ability to make a personal connection with customers is a recurring theme to long-lasting success in today’s market. No matter how amazing your product or services are, how people interact with your company builds a strong customer connection.

The most successful business owners understand the value of a good customer experience, and they make a conscious effort to deliver one. Keeping customers engaged and fostering relationships is what drives customer loyalty. 

What Is Customer Connection?

Customer connection can be considered your relationship with your customers outside of normal business. 

People appreciate being able to connect with a support team when things go wrong easily. Or a sales team willing to go the extra mile to consult and educate them on the latest and greatest.

Customers want to know that they’re more than just revenue. They’re looking for a deeper connection — a personal connection.

Why Is Customer Connection Important: Five Reasons

Building a connection with your customers is a surefire way to maintain customer loyalty so your business can thrive for years to come.

Investing in customer relationships will keep a steady stream of revenue as customers are more likely to support your business than competitors.

A study by Sprout Social in 2018 reported that 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them

Retaining Customers Is Cheaper Than Gaining Them

Building customer loyalty is critical because it can directly impact business revenue. Research shows that repeat customers tend to spend more with loyal brands, which also lowers operating costs.

Prioritizing customer success today will give your company breathing room in the future. A business that neglects the importance of its customer needs will spend more money trying to play catch up with a high churn rate.

The customer acquisition cost (CAC) is typically higher for companies that don’t invest a portion of their budget into customer success. 

Having Happy Customers Spurs Growth

There is no better compliment to a business owner than a referral from a happy customer. When customers find a business they connect with; they’re more likely to recommend it to their friends and family.

It’s reported that 72% of consumers will share a positive experience with at least six people. That holds a lot of weight in a world that’s heavily reliant on reading customer reviews before purchasing a product.

We’ve all done it: gushed to your friend about an awesome experience you had with a brand or business. When you leave feeling happy, you’re more eager to support them and share the good news with your closest friends. 

Customer Connection Will Justify Higher Prices

Most customers are willing to pay a higher premium to companies that offer better customer service. If a company isn’t willing to invest in good customer service, they’re not likely to fare well in the long term.

Customer experience is a priority when people say they’re willing to pay more for brands that offer better quality service. It only takes one good experience to keep customers coming back time and time again.

At the same time, one bad experience could send customers straight over to your competitor. 

Customer Connection Helps Branding and Marketing

Utilizing proactive customer service is a cost-effective way to keep improving your business. Rather than waiting for unhappy customers to report issues, you should conduct regular customer surveys to learn more about what people are looking for in your brand. 

Customer feedback is a great marketing tool to understand better what products or services to promote. By listening to your customer's needs, you can stay ahead of the game in capturing your target audience. 

Great Customer Connection Is Proactive Damage Control

A business that emphasizes the importance of customer engagement will be able to avoid everyday issues snowballing into major problems. By interacting with your customers in real-time, you can quickly handle customer complaints as they occur.

Customer expectations are higher than they were just a short time ago. As technology continues to keep us ever-connected, they want to know they’re being heard and will have a resolution.

If not, they’re likely to use social media to let the world know about their negative experience. Customers have more options than ever, and they have no problem shopping elsewhere if they don’t feel valued. 

Tips To Improve Customer Connections

Respond to Customer Concerns

This probably goes without saying but swiftly responding to customer concerns can turn their experience around. You can turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied customer by addressing their issues immediately.

Call center representatives are often the company's voice, so they must be properly trained on how to de-escalate a situation. It’s helpful to set internal goals on handle ratio, speed of resolution, and handle time metrics. 

Show Appreciation to Customers

Flattery and showing gratitude are among the best ways to make customers feel important. Even if they’re interacting with your brand for the first time, they should leave the experience feeling valued and satisfied.

Make it a goal to exceed customer expectations every time, and they’ll keep coming back. Every visit or phone call is a chance to connect with customers meaningfully. 

Solicit Feedback and Follow Up

Asking for feedback lays the groundwork for customer connections. Companies that consistently solicit feedback show they value customer experience and want to continue improving their services.

You can ask for customers’ opinions face-to-face via your sales team, with customer surveys, or whenever they reach out to your support team. Either way, the value lies in honest opinions and what you do with them. 

Keep Relationships Personal

Delivering personalized customer service is more important than personalized marketing when building a customer connection. Great customer service includes understanding where they’re coming from and doing your best to resolve their complaints.

Small touches like using the customer’s name during conversation or personalizing email templates can help make a more meaningful connection. Making each customer feel unique and responding shows you have empathy toward their issue. 

Social Media Presence

In recent years, social media has added opportunities to connect with customers. Most consumers expect brands to have a social media presence, but the only way it’s truly effective is to engage with customers promptly.

People constantly browse social media for new products, leave brand reviews, and share their new favorite items with friends. Actively engaging with customers allows you to resolve negative comments and direct the narrative about your brand. 

Conclusion

Providing a top-notch product or service is only part of the customer journey. It’s important to build a personal connection with customers that can stimulate longevity for your business and the life of your brand.

Business owners should create a strategy that outlines the best way team members can resolve customer service issues. All correspondence should be handled empathetically and with an open mind toward growth. 

Sources:

Why Customer Service is Important: 16 Data-Backed Facts to Know | HubSpot

#BrandsGetReal: What consumers want from brands in a divided society | Sprout Social

Key Customer Experience Statistics to Know | SuperOffice CRM

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