Attracting customers and then building long-term relationships is one of the best ways to maintain the success of your business for many years to come. To achieve this, customer service is absolutely essential. Here are some of the strategies we implement, don't forget you can contact us for more information.

According to an IDC study that surveyed 24,000 consumers in 12 countries, 18 % said they would continue to buy their products from a company with which they had a positive customer service experience, even if the products were not the cheapest option.

Therefore, customer loyalty is an important part of any marketing plan. That said, let's review 7 strategies to attract and keep customers.

There are a variety of strategies and tactics you can use to attract customers and retain them over time. We've compiled this list of 7 to help you get started today.

1. Excellent customer service

One of the main complaints about customer service is that it can be robotic and unnatural, even when a customer interacts with a representative rather than a chatbot or other automated service. This is because companies often spend time training their employees to memorise greetings, sales pitches and apologies, whereas customers want genuine responses. In reality, the more complex the problem, the greater the need for a customer service representative.

When talking to your customers, try to keep communication as natural as possible. Be sure to use their names, use humour if appropriate and always be polite. Showing empathy will go a long way in connecting with your customers.

Your goal should be to maintain fluid and responsive communication. Really listen to your customers because quality communication will set you apart from the competition.

2. Know your customers

It is important for companies to really know their customers. The customer acquisition process has a lot to do with sales. You need to know the name of the person you are talking to, what they are looking for, what their weaknesses are and what their hobbies are.

How can you get all this information? The key is to continue the conversation after the transaction. For example, if your company is B2B, you can look up the customer's profile on LinkedIn or your website. Once you have this information, you can start thinking of ways in which you can provide value.

In today's business environment, the easiest way to differentiate yourself from the competition is through the customer experience, not just the products or services you offer. Giving customers an increasingly personalised experience will help them remember your brand.

3. Use complaints to your advantage

Improving customer engagement requires a change in attitude. Instead of thinking of complaints and negative comments as a nuisance, use them as an opportunity to find out what your customers really think. It is better for a customer to complain openly than to stop buying from you without any explanation.

Negative reviews help you improve your services, give you the opportunity to redeem yourself and help you avoid potential online reputation crises. You just have to learn how to handle them correctly.

The next time someone makes a complaint, take it as an opportunity to solve the problem. Listen and get the information you need. It also helps to apologise sincerely, thank the customer for sharing their concerns and promise only what you can deliver. If all goes well, you will have kept a customer forever.

4. Keep in touch

According to IDC, 67 % of consumers and 91 % of businesses believe that mobile and online services should be faster and more intuitive. To achieve this, you need to make sure you have regular contact with the customer.

Creating an ongoing relationship allows you to monitor how people feel about your brand and address potential problems before they arise. Here are some tips to help you get off to a good start.

After relevant interactions, follow up by phone, email or even social media.

From time to time, send friendly messages to your customers to remind them that you are still available to them and have special offers.

Create valuable content, such as articles or videos, and distribute them through your newsletter.

Send a monthly email or newsletter with your company's news, such as product launches, events and interesting content.

5. Gaining customer trust

If you can make your customers trust you, they will be much more satisfied and likely to be loyal in the long run.

Be honest and always keep your word. If you promise something to the customer, you better deliver!

Show your good intentions. Often trust is broken because the customer feels that the company wants to take advantage of him or her.

Be Flexible. As they say, the customer is always right. Even if they are not, sometimes it is better to give in and see what you can do to work with them.

6. Use inbound marketing

Outbound marketing is based on going to where consumers are and interrupting their daily lives to showcase your products and services. It exists in the form of classic TV commercials, banner ads or spam.

Inbound marketing turns this marketing paradigm on its head. The idea is to attract customers to your website by offering them valuable content that meets their needs in return. Through blog articles, videos, e-books, reports and more, you can convince users to leave their contact details and become potential customers.

7. Create a Loyalty Programme

To keep customers for the long term, it is important to offer them something that shows them how much you value them. One way to do this is through loyalty programmes. These programmes are a way to reward customers who have supported your brand and can even spread the word about your products or services to their network of friends, family and acquaintances.

There are many different types of loyalty programmes, so see which one would be most suitable for your business and appeal to your customers. Remember that loyal customers spend more than your other customers, so make sure they are happy with the products and customer service they receive.