Finding ways to create and maintain a relationship with your customers is the number one priority to many companies. Some companies are good at this while some are not. Technology really helped in this area but in most cases, it’s not the only answer.
Take apps, for example. They can be quite a double-edged sword. Starbucks, for instance, has a Breakfast on Us promotion where you get stickers each time you buy something from them and once you fill it out you get something for free. This works well for people who go to the store. But Starbucks also promotes their app – like crazy. And this is a problem because people who want to buy through the app often forget about the card and get no additional value. When they realize this, they get mad. And, their experience is ruined.
This is an easy fix – but the company doesn’t do anything about it. A simple digital punch – in this case, sticker – card would fix the situation.
But because they don’t – and many people complain that they would have several freebies if they didn’t forget the card – the average customer feels like they have been tricked. Here is this brand, promoting something free, yet they do their best to make me forget about it.
However, Starbucks probably isn’t looking to trick anyone, but to reward their customers. It’s a terrific idea. But, they should be aware that the tech doesn’t work with old marketing tactics – for instance, punch cards.
A digital sticker card could really improve their customer relationship. Even something as simple as a flashy notification reminding them of the stickers could work.
“Kohl’s had a similar problem with their app because the customers were severely disappointed with the app. Then another company took over their app and made it awesome for the user,” says Hollie Link, a marketing manager at 1day2write and Writemyx.
Then just imagine what Starbucks could do with their app – use all of that data to give their users a specific, personalized gift. This is much better than giving away a generic breakfast or a generic coffee that they won’t like. And just imagine if someone had allergies to something in the freebie breakfast – a total disaster. But with the app working properly, they could further improve the user experience.
Here are some tips on creating a powerful relationship with your customers through your retail app:
- Make the app accessible – Don’t force them to buy, subscribe or login before they have an opportunity to see your app.
- You can use all of that data to personalize – Customers will give you plenty of information that you can use to make their experience better and personalize more.
- Innovate regularly – don’t just let your app sit there without an update for months. Rather, give users something new and interesting each month.
- Spice up your app with details – UX and UI have to be top notch and improved with little details.
- Make it simple – Apps are used on the go and as such need to be simple enough to use.
- Provide personalized content – For instance, if your company is a restaurant, don’t offer meat recipes content to people who are vegan or sweets that are not adapted to diabetics, to people with diabetes. Again, use the data the app gives you properly.
- Offer support in all elements of the app. This is crucial for handling issues.
- Mobile shopping should be convenient if you want people to buy. No one wants to struggle through forms and checkout points. They want a simple way to shop and finish without any issues. Make sure you also support a wide variety of payment options.
“Smartphone tech is a great way to reach the users. However, it’s not so good if you do it poorly. Understand what having an app really means and what it will mean for your business. Don’t do it because everyone else is doing it. Just understand what the real value of your app could be for your customer relationship,” says Rita Bello, a digital strategist at Australia2write and Britstudent.
Emily Williams is a passionate app developer and writer at Academic brits. She loves getting engaged with the readers who are seeking marketing related information, startups, brand development, and personal growth at Origin writings. With more than five years of experience, she enjoys supporting smart people to achieve online success.