The Important category of Customer management (including customers acquisition and customer retention) has changed — and keep on changing — in the digital age.
Here is a 5 steps methodology for optimizing your Customers Management plan and activities.
Step 1
Understanding Customers Behavior with a focus on Customers reason to choose. What things may convince customers to choose your product and service :
· Innovation
• Customization/ personalization
• Lack of knowledge about alternatives
• Sympathy
• Unique Marketing and packaging
• Unique features
• Fast brand
• Pricing
• SPOQ — Social Proof Of Quality — refers to all types of people reviews, recommendations, shared experiences and post purchase feedback
• The bandwagon effect — as more people come to believe in something, others also “hop on the bandwagon” regardless of the underlying evidence. people do something primarily because other people are doing it.
Step 2
Understanding Relevant Changes :
• Changes in Customers expectations
• Changes in Competitors offering , status and activities
• New technologies and new Customer’s dialog platforms
• Changes in Customers satisfaction parameters : location, parking, SPOQ — Social Proof Of Quality, fast brands, pricing, service.
Step 3
Define your Customers Management strategy :
Option A : Conquest strategy
Conquest marketing is much more expensive than relations marketing (with existing customers )
Main factors here :
1. Passionate segment
2. SPOQ Marketing ( social proof of quality)
3. First cycle influence marketing/continuum marketing
- Social marketing
- SEM
Option B : Relations strategy
Main factors here :
1. Customer’s Belonging perception
2. Customer’s feeling special
3. Clear value
4. Data driven relations
Step 4
Customers Management Plan Phases :
1. Anticipation / Prediction ( panel, social intelligence)
• Changes in customers demand
• Change in consumers behavior
• Change in media consumption
• Changes in competitive landscape
2. Soft Implementation
• MVP — most valuable product
• MVS — most valuable service
• MVA — most valuable audience
6. Go To Market/ Audience Relations plan
Step 5
Customers Management plan — Main Components :
· Long term customer maintenance activities ( relations)
· Instant gratifications (personal offers )
· Long term customer value
· Personalization of products , services and marketing
· Closing back door ( defense activities)
· Don’t invent. Innovate . Most of the people are conservative. Would like to go safe , but better.
· Timing is everything — the right product/feature/opportunity to the right audience at the right time.
· Create a recognition plan for your important users — awards , badges etc.
· Create an hierarchy of your product line. Special service line, credits, extended hours, special seats plans of airline companies, concierges.
· Create ownership by letting power users to influence the business. Mainly by having users contribution areas ( UGC — users generated content)
· In terms of products — keep the right balance between Choice (super selection) and convenience ( grab and go)
