Did you notice that the sale ended at the moment
the customer paid for the order? In fact, companies that don't think after
sales miss out on great opportunities. After all, once the sale is complete,
there is a potential to strengthen the relationship with the consumer and make
them trustworthy.
Winning new customers costs 5 to 7 times more
than retaining current ones, said marketing guru Philip Kotler. This means that
failing in after-sales strategies directly interferes with the profitability of
your business. So, if you want to change this scenario, continue reading the
article we prepared for you!
What is
after-sales?
A step in the after-sales purchase process that
includes all the steps taken after the sale is completed. In other words, the
consumer continues to travel after the order is paid. After all, the customer
will still receive the product, try it, use it, and after a while, even cancel
it.
The goal of staying with customers throughout
this journey is to maintain customer loyalty so that they continue to purchase
from your brand. It is not enough to just say "thank you" after the
sale is complete. Long-term success depends on real, long-term relationships
with customers. But, make no mistake. Problem-solving strategies such as factory
errors are not limited to customer service.
Customers need to be valued and remembered by the
brand. Thus, they are more likely to make new purchases and earnings are
sometimes much higher than purchases. These strategies are essential for any
company, but especially for small businesses, where every customer is
important.
How does
it work?
The after-sales service provides support to the
customer and monitors their entire buying journey with the company.
However, there is no single way to offer such
services. Generally speaking, it can be divided into two categories:
Inbound
after-sales
This is basically the goal of Customer Service
(CAS), where customers can communicate via phone, WhatsApp, online chat, and
email if needed. Also consider providing support through social media, which is
the most used medium by consumers to communicate with brands. In this process,
providing fast service and efficient solutions is crucial. In this way, you
ensure customer satisfaction and encourage new purchases.
The opposite situation can be detrimental to your
brand. For example, imagine that an order is lost during the delivery process.
Consumers are trying to contact the company through various channels but are
not getting any response.
The solution comes just a few weeks later when
the product is no longer in stock for receipts. You can even offer a voucher
for use in the store, but the customer must ask for a refund, compare the
competition and never do business with you again.
On top of all this, he can report his negative
experiences to about ten people. You've already seen how after-sales service
makes a big difference, doesn't it?
Active
after-sales
In this case, the company does not expect the
customer to contact you after completing the purchase. However, it is ready to
strengthen the relationship with consumers.
A product review system is provided here to hear
what the consumer experience was like, either through a satisfaction survey or
on the website itself.
The strategy includes, for example, sending
emails offering similar products and creating loyalty programs that encourage
new purchases, such as using cashback on subsequent orders.
This type of after-sales usually brings more
positive returns for the company!
How to do
after-sales in an online store?
Every company or online store wants to enjoy all
the after-sales benefits, right?
But, for this, it is very important to have
strategies that strengthen the connection with the customer to increase
customer satisfaction and experience.
Keep in mind that buyers expect most businesses
to be satisfied after making a purchase. So, you have a chance to surpass the
competitors and delight your audience beyond their expectations.
Want to learn how? Let's get practical tips!
Keep what
you promise
Creating customer expectations and not meeting
them is one of the worst things you can do, as it compromises the relationship
between you at the point of losing trust in the brand.
Do you promise to deliver the product within 24
hours? Comply!
And if you can't keep it, don't make such a
promise. Always be honest with your audience to build a lasting relationship.
Support
After the purchase, the customer has his first
contact with the product and the brand, he tries it, there are doubts and some
problems may arise.
Thus, the company must be available to provide
the necessary support.
Never be too busy solving your customer's
problem. Always solve problems quickly and efficiently. Keep in mind that
support issues are one of the main causes of complaints on the Internet. On the
other hand, good after-sales service is able to reverse complex situations and
even provide positive feedback for the brand.
Do
satisfaction surveys
Have you ever asked your customers how they feel?
What are your pain and interest?
So, listen to what he has to say from the
satisfaction survey. That way, you show that you really care about your
audience, and don't just want to sell.
In fact, some companies add a promotional coupon
after the survey is completed, so that customers can hear their feedback and
receive a price in return. Action encourages participation!
Deliver
personalized content
Another after-sales strategy is to engage in
content marketing to keep your customers close.
You can send by WhatsApp or email some educational
content, such as informative content, blog post links, e-books, and tutorial
videos. It is also possible to create live commerce or send exclusive offers,
releases, and other types of content.
Even a timely “Happy Birthday” with a special
coupon can be very powerful as it helps to reach customers a few months after
purchase, while the brand may fade from their minds.
Send gifts
Is there anyone who doesn't like to get presents?
Giveaways always surprise customers and are a master loyalty trick, especially
for older customers.
Some options are:
●
Card to thank you for purchasing;
●
Special conditions, such as free
shipping or interest-free installments;
●
Personalized gifts, such as mugs,
eco-bags, essentials, and T-shirts;
●
Sample other products to encourage
a new purchase.
But pay attention! It has to be something
valuable and it makes sense to your customer!
Offer
discount coupons
And how about encouraging a new purchase? You can
do this by using thank you coupons so that new customers can start shopping
again.
Another option is to create a referral campaign
for your customers to share with friends or family members. In addition to
helping retain, you bring new people into your business.
Take care
of delivery
Online shopping creates high expectations for
customers as they have to wait a few days for the much-desired arrival of the
product. Which makes anyone a little anxious.
In view of this scenario, a strong after-sales
strategy is to take care of delivery to ensure that there are no delays. Also,
the number of complaints due to this problem increased by 84.6% in 2020. And
you don't want to be a part of this statistic, do you?
So, rely on good shipping partners like Kangaroo
to ensure fast, secure, and trackable online delivery. Unexpected events can
certainly happen. In this case, but, be proactive and advise your customers to
minimize the problem and not keep them in the dark.
Accept
exchanges and returns
Purchase cancellation is confirmed by Section 49
of the Consumer Protection Code. Also, the possibility of exchanging goods
offers a great difference.
But, few companies offer efficient contrast
logistics, which weakens the customer experience.