Today, to build customer loyalty, it is becoming increasingly important to establish a real relationship of trust with them. It’s a long-term process, and a fragile one too, because trust can be lost very quickly, but it’s one that can transform ordinary consumers into people who are genuinely committed to defending your products, in the best of cases. There are a few tricks you can use to build a lasting customer relationship.

Knowing your customers is essential for building loyalty

It is becoming easier and easier to collect data on your customers. Any company worthy of the name should now have a documented customer database.

The more levels it contains, the more effective it will be, because you can then really personalise the messages you send to consumers of your products. A simple birthday message or a promotion on recurring purchases, without being very original, are simple ways of showing that you follow your regular customers. Show that you are close to your customers and that they are not just numbers on an overly large list. Be careful, however, when it comes to data management: according to a Verint study carried out in partnership with Ovum and Opinium, 30% of French people do not trust companies when it comes to data security. Don’t hesitate to be specific about the reasons why you are collecting certain information, in order to reassure prospective customers, and don’t go beyond what you have committed to. A reassured customer is a confident customer.

Customers are everywhere, on the Internet and elsewhere

Your customers are not just those who visit your website.

They are also present on social networks. So it’s important to reach out to them on these channels too, because a good customer relationship is about more than just a successful exchange at the point of purchase.

To establish a sense of proximity, you need not only to be present, but to engage with consumers. Responding to messages, whether critical, positive or simply questioning, shows readers that you are interested in them.

This practice also enables you to better understand the expectations of your customers or prospects and, if necessary, adapt your offer to meet those needs. As part of a local relationship, it is also customary to take an interest in local practices and events, whether you are a small business or a multinational (some fast-food chains offer regional products depending on the country in which the shop is located).

Why is your customers’ trust so important to you?

A confident customer gets involved and feels concerned by the brand. They are also consumers who develop loyalty. When a reliable relationship is established between a company and an individual, the latter will have a clear tendency to return to that company for future purchases.

Trust is built, of course, by a well-displayed pricing policy and respect for deadlines, and not just by a continuous presence on the Internet. It’s not a one-way street: a company can also show its customers that it trusts them, for example by accepting returns without justification. In this way, the relationship becomes a win-win situation in which everyone benefits.

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