Trust is an essential value in our modern societies in general and in a B2C relationship in particular. It is trust that makes any business grow. Establishing a lasting bond between your brand and consumers allows you to gain profitability and notoriety.
But gaining this trust is far from obvious, while it is very easy to lose it. So you need to put in place a number of best practices that will allow you, in an ultra competitive environment, to gain and retain customers. If you are looking to build customer loyalty with simple and effective tricks, in this article, we discuss 7 key steps to gain the trust of your customers and keep them loyal.
Strengthen the security of your e-commerce site
A study by a French polling company, IPSOS, has shown that the fear of a scam was the first of six major obstacles to the act of buying on e-commerce sites. The security of transactions was also one of the six major obstacles. Being aware of this, you should secure your website with SSL certifications for example and clearly display all your security certifications. This helps to, if not banish, at least limit the suspicions of your site visitors.
Work on the quality of your products and your value proposition
No matter what anyone says, appearance counts. And in the digital world, this is even more true. The basis of customer loyalty is the quality of your services. In a volatile and competitive market, the quality of your products and services as well as their presentation will weigh in the loyalty of your customers.
More than 4 out of 5 customers who have had a positive buying experience will tend to buy from your site again. It is therefore essential to improve the customer experience in order to meet the challenges of loyalty and customer satisfaction. To do this, you need to present your products in a way that meets expectations, with detailed descriptions and authentic visuals. An authentic visual is one that best reflects the reality of the product.
The delivery experience and order tracking are also part of your value proposition. Often underestimated, the delivery experience plays a critical role. Offer multiple delivery options and be sure to deliver on your promises. This means not offering 48-hour delivery when you’re not sure you’ll get it.
If a delay occurs, inform the customer quickly. An optimal order follow-up must reassure the customer about the steps and the delivery times. The customer will feel considered and reassured.
Leave the possibility to return the product free of charge
It is an important quality label to offer customers the possibility to return the goods within a certain number of days without any costs. Refund guarantees in case of non-satisfaction reinforce your credibility. As for any consumer, the online customer benefits from a right of withdrawal guaranteed and framed by the legislative standards.
You could set up a return system with no justification required and no return fee. This reassures the customer about the quality of your value proposition and also forces you to constantly improve the quality of your offer.
Offer multi-currency pricing and multiple payment methods
Trust is enhanced when you reduce complexity. It becomes difficult for the Internet user not to be suspicious when he does not discover on your website elements that are familiar to him. This is especially true when it comes to payment methods. By proposing a payment method that the prospect trusts and is used to, you are reflecting the trust of this payment method on your company. The customer trusts you by proxy, so to speak.
You can gain this trust by offering several payment methods with different currencies on your platform. Some users will find it easier to make a purchase when the product or service is offered in their local currency.
Set up a referral or loyalty program
These programs are marketing tools that allow you to create a human link: a kind of give and take partnership with your customers. The referral program aims to use word-of-mouth to gain new customers. Your existing customers recommend you to their friends and family, and in exchange, you give a reward to the sponsor and the sponsored customer to motivate them. Generally, a customer who comes as a result of a recommendation already has some confidence in your product.
On the other hand, the loyalty program aims to encourage your existing customers to come back to your site to buy more. You offer them discounts or gifts, particularly attractive offers, so that those who buy more, earn more.
Set up an efficient after-sales service
Customers now have the power to judge you. They can evaluate you, rate you, and share your offers on their social networks. By setting up an efficient after-sales service, you will be able to really assist the Internet user and answer his needs. You can work on setting up a live chat service.
An efficient after-sales service is one that is very reactive, proactive and goes beyond preconceived scripts to personalize the support, especially when exceptional requests arrive. If a customer has a problem with his order, instead of giving him preconceived chatter, value his person and treat his request as a priority. If he finds that you have solved the problem efficiently and quickly, you have earned his trust.
Work on your brand image
You can work on illustrating your accomplishments through the voices of your customers. Highlight the testimonials of people who have already trusted you and have not regretted it. Social proof is an effective strategy to enhance your brand image.
However, although you must work on your credibility, the best loyalty strategy will be to satisfy every customer who comes to you. This is where your brand image is first strengthened. In fact, a satisfied customer is a loyal customer who becomes an ambassador for your brand.
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