What do you and your team do after closing a sale? If the answer is to say goodbye to the customer and move on to the next one, it's time to rethink these concepts and invest in after-sales service .
The relationship with the customer begins after they purchase your product or service, and it is at this moment that the all-important loyalty process .
After-sales service is crucial for strengthening ties with your customers and achieving positive results. Do you understand what this relationship between a company and its customers entails? Check out our article and learn how after-sales service can help you!
What is after-sales?
After-sales is a set of activities focused on customer relations after the consumption of a service or product.
It can be proactive or reactive. Proactive after-sales service is contact from the company and may involve experience assessments, surveys, and seeking greater insight into consumer behavior.
Reactive after-sales is when the customer seeks out the organization to resolve problems, exchanges, provide assistance, complaints , among others.
Maintaining post-sale contact with customers is essential to improving their shopping and building customer loyalty.
This is important, as acquiring a new customer costs 5 to 7 times more than maintaining an existing one , according to Philip Kotler, one of the leading names in Marketing.
Focusing on after-sales doesn't mean you should forget about new customers and their acquisition, but rather that you should also focus on those who have already started a relationship with the company .
It is these consumers who, when satisfied , will return for new purchases, share their experiences and provide the best marketing a company can receive: the famous word of mouth.
Investing in after-sales support speeds up issue resolution and provides customers with security. When they contact the company, they know their concerns will be resolved.
Furthermore, it anticipates customer needs and reinforces the company's image among other consumers and competitors .
How to provide effective after-sales service?
Now that you know a little more about the importance of after-sales service to retain your customers, the question is: how do you do it?
Of course, organizations have different realities and each one needs to adapt its after-sales service to what is truly effective for it .
We've selected some tips, but remember, after-sales service isn't a recipe book. You need to test, understand your customer and your business, and find the best approach for you!
Get closer to the customer
In addition to improving the customer experience and delighting them, after-sales is the ideal time to get closer to consumers and build relationships .
Keep the customer informed about the progress of their order, in the case of an online , and provide more information about the products, in the case of a physical store, for example.
Simple actions bring the company closer and show the customer that they are not just another sales number .
Use phone calls or email to remind customers of your existence. Ask them about their satisfaction with your product or service, or send simple messages thanking them for their purchase.
It's important to emphasize that this isn't the right time to try to make new sales . The conversation is about the customer and their experience, not the company!
Make delivery a special moment
Those who sell online know that customers have high expectations when receiving their products. Therefore, it's worth starting after-sales support as soon as the purchase is delivered .
Unpacking products and coming into contact with your brand can become a memorable and enjoyable experience for the customer.
Invest in cool packaging, personalized messages, freebies and discounts for future purchases, and any other action that makes sense in your context and is sure to deliver results for customers.
Request reviews
For effective after-sales service, it is essential to listen to consumers' opinions about your products or services and, based on that, make improvements.
Encourage evaluation of products, service, delivery, and any aspect involved in the purchase, but in a light-hearted way, rather than through time-consuming and tiring research.
The user needs to be willing to respond and it's important to show them how valuable their opinion is to the company.
Inform the consumer
Remembering the customer is part of after-sales service. Always keep them informed about new developments and solutions emerging within the company.
Also be present through celebratory and birthday messages, for example, by offering gifts or discounts and demonstrating their importance to your business.
Create loyalty programs
In some contexts, it can be a good idea to create loyalty programs that encourage consumers to always buy from you thanks to the benefits they will receive .
Guarantee extra benefits for your loyal customers, tell them about new products first, create special promotions, and make them feel even more exclusive in your business.
Use a CRM
To provide effective after-sales service, it's essential to know your audience and have as much information as possible about them and their interactions with the company.
Therefore, implementing a CRM can be a good option to integrate all customer actions, at all stages of the purchasing journey, and help after-sales service be even more personalized and effective.
Conclusion
After-sales service is a great strategy to reduce churn and build customer loyalty .
Maintaining contact with customers, being open to suggestions and criticism, and being quick to resolve problems makes all the difference in their experience with the brand and guarantees many positive points for the company .
Failing to provide after-sales support and abandoning customers after the financial transaction is a serious mistake that cannot be repeated . Maintain customer relationships and keep them engaged with your business.
A negative experience can be very bad for a brand's image, but several positive experiences will make customers spread the word about your actions and more consumers will be reached organically.
After-sales service is part of relationship management that cannot be overlooked in your company.
How have you been handling post-sales with your customers? Understand which of our tips apply to your situation, implement some simple tasks, and further expand your relationship with consumers.
Now that you know a little more about after-sales, take the opportunity to learn about our solutions that can help you with your customer relationships!
