Copywriting straight-talker Drayton Bird explores what it means to build a strong brand. Forget the usual piffle you hear, the idea is actually very simple. If only it was easy to implement!
A customer success (CS) team is responsible for managing the relationship between a vendor and its customers. The goal is simple: to make sure the customer is able to make the best possible use of the product. Get it right and you earn yourself a happy, content and loyal customer. Alison Smith details how more and more companies are acknowledging the value of CS and explores how you can ensure your own team provides the greatest business benefit.
How often do you monitor data relevant to your customer service? Do you know how good your customer service metrics are . . . have you measured them? How well do your teams perform when it comes to customer care – keeping them happy, dealing with complaints, upselling, cross-selling, responding quickly to their enquiries? Are your employees pulling their weight and helping to retain your precious customers? Rafferty Gifford shows how you can track their performance.
In 2017, May 10 was declared the annual ‘Chinese Brands Day’ as the Chinese government, keen to build the country’s influence internationally, looked to help promote ‘Made In China’ brands. Here, Doreen Wang gives her thoughts on the impact of the initiative just after its first anniversary and looks at how Chinese brands focus on growth.
Researchers have been analysing how easily UK consumers can get in touch with retailers via their preferred channel and they have identified a ‘dutiful dozen’ retailers that are ticking all the boxes. With 81% of consumers taking their business elsewhere if their queries aren’t answered quickly and effectively by a company, it is critical that retailers are offering a great customer experience and as many customer service touchpoints as possible. Chris Robinson explores the evidence.
Wonderfully convenient or a bit too close for comfort: when does personalisation and detailed data usage become just a bit too personal? And how on earth can marketers tell when their carefully crafted messages are actually creeping their targets out? It was the subject that was under discussion at a masterclass in London recently. Here’s what the experts had to say about walking the tightrope between too much and too little:
High street sales figures make grim reading currently, as rising inflation is clearly impacting consumer spending levels. And, with household incomes failing to keep pace, there is little sign of an upturn for retailers – in the immediate future at least. But Peter Zeun argues that in these difficult times, when it is getting ever harder for retailers to persuade consumers to spend their hard-earned cash in store or online, putting in place the right customer engagement and retention strategies is increasingly imperative for any brand. So start now, scrutinise your CRM strategies and take control of the future.
Research shows that more than half of consumers stop buying after a poor customer service interaction and that 95% ‘share’ bad experiences – so what, if anything, are companies doing to stop customers ‘falling through the cracks’ in the multichannel experience brands are offering? And how can they improve that offering? Chris Robinson says they should start by looking to their lines of communication and ensuring their customers can easily reach them.
The way we were, as consumers, has changed beyond recognition – ask your gran about the tiny corner shop, or half-day closing! Now, we have e-commerce and the ability to buy anything, anytime we like. But how about tomorrow’s world – and how will marketers and e-retailers cope with the ever-increasing demands of the savvy e-shopper? In this interview by Steven van Belleghem, an expert practitioner shares his online shop expertise and view of the future:
Be not afraid! Instead of a revolution that routs and destroys, artificial intelligence is driving a marketing revolution that will make our industry more intelligent and empowering. It will free-up marketers from the mundanity of day-to-day tasks, enabling ever deeper analytics and insights and creating finer personalisation and customer service. Here’s how: