How a Personal Interaction builds Repeat Customers
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a series about retail CX during the holiday season. It is an example of customer-centricity, supported by organizational culture, that creates loyal repeat customers. See the other posts in the series here and here.
I’m as surprised as anyone by this customer loyalty story. Recently, I tried to purchase a few sets of mini crib sheets (as it turns out, new parents need more than I imagined!). When I visited the Hello Spud’s website I could only find one design. Although I was disappointed, I bought what I could.
What happened next is the story of one small business doing CX right. This note came with the sheets I received in the mail:
Prompted by what I suspect is web analytics insights, the company co-founder proactively reached out to me to help meet my needs and buy more of her products. Because of the data, she knew I did not have choice online. Sending me this personal note created a wow moment for me that put me on the path to engagement and loyalty.
Repeat Customers Come with Contextual Awareness
Melanie managed the delivery touch point utilizing contextual and customer data and creating a value proposition for her customer. While brands today aim to use data across channels (web to mail), few are able to put it in action. The company founder understood who I was as a customer. Her customer experience data informed her about my on-site behavior, my needs, and my problem. She was able to act on it with a personal, relevant note and offer. Not only that, she created loyalty BEFORE I even used her product.
She used order and inventory data and reached out to me armed with information to resolve my problem (over time). By doing that, she converted me to an engaged HelloSpud customer, rather than a lost one. This shows how good data and the right approach to using it can create customer loyalty.
Customer Loyalty Comes from a Customer-Centric Priority
A customer-centric methodology is key to the successful outcome of my interaction with Hello Spud. It is the reason this story appears here, and not among the CX Big Fails! The company did not send an automated response. It did not deliver a message stating “sorry we couldn’t help you, would you like something else.” Instead, the company co-founder reached out to me personally across multiple channels (a handwritten note, followed by personal emails). She even offered to bring me samples so I wouldn’t have to wait until the next production run in January! This type of engagement puts customer-centric theories into practice. The brand created customer loyalty by making their customer a priority.
It is clear that customer loyalty matters to this small brand operating in a crowded field. Hello Spud is using data and outreach to create customer loyalty on the individual level and to grow an engaged customer base on the wider level.
Trust Creates Repeat Customers Loyalty and Brand Advocacy
Hello Spud did something truly impressive. They made me a loyal customer by making me wait! The co-founder’s personal commitment to me made me feel connected to her success, almost like I was part of her team. I trust her commitment to me because of the way she communicated it.
In that state of trust, she then took the opportunity to engage me in a new way by recruiting me to support her business by sharing a review. This was a bold move (remember, I came to the brand seeking a product that they could not provide, and that their competition could).
Because the brand’s customer-centric culture was in place and supported by her action as a brand representative, it was a smart risk to take. The review I leave will be from a loyal customer. And that is why this is a great example of customer-centricity that generated loyalty.
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