Recipes for retaining a digital customer

The events of 2020 turned many consumers onto the benefits of e-commerce. Even though this shift was mostly forced, data from the omnichannel toolkit aims to enhance customer relationships through personalization and streamline inventory management. Shoppers are jumping from one channel to another, browsing online before getting swayed by their favorite social network or an app they can't live without. According to a Kinsta study, 85% of customers admit to starting a purchase on one device and finishing it on another.

In response, an order management system (OMS) makes the buying process easier. By managing inventory, it streamlines shipping while boosting customer satisfaction, provided the company offers more than just a product. The service needs to go beyond the sale by emphasizing the now-essential click-and-collect, order tracking, or flawless delivery. An unsatisfactory delivery method is the number one reason consumers abandon online purchases, according to Fevad figures.

Multiple Approaches
With so many online stores, companies have no choice but to master long-term remote loyalty techniques. Like their buyers, they need to navigate across various channels. Blogs and social networks aim to provide real-time responses to customers regarding a product or service, as long as they have quality content. Over 80% of consumers report discovering new products on social media, but each generation has its own platforms: Facebook for those aged 25-34, Twitter or Instagram for 18-34-year-olds, and Snapchat and TikTok for the younger crowd. For 53% of French SMEs, Instagram has helped boost their sales, while 32% of female users have visited a store or restaurant after discovering it on the platform, according to an Ipsos study.

Among other tools, newsletters spark interest in new products and can share a promotional code for loyal customers, enhancing their experience. Like in-store, loyalty cards filled with perks or gifts and samples give a positive image of the company, while referrals, private sales, or exclusive events strengthen buyers' sense of belonging. To encourage this omnichannel aspect, Amazon invites engagement with customers wherever they are.

Satisfied or Replaced
To ensure customer satisfaction, services must also meet their expectations. For these tools to be effective, the business relationship needs to go deeper to create closeness and intimacy. In fact, 84% of consumers are more likely to trust a company that treats them in a personalized manner rather than just as a number. 47% admit they completely ignore non-personalized messages they receive, according to an Infobip study.

To build a lasting relationship and stand out, a company must know its customer—understand their preferences and service expectations. CRM services allow businesses to tailor their products and also create a relevant database about their clientele for personalized interactions. An omnichannel presence multiplies sources of information to address and even anticipate customer needs. At Adidas, consumers are identified individually through a few key questions: Do we know this customer? Where do they come from? What interests them? Based on the answers, the brand adjusts its content, the timing of notifications, and the distribution channel to ensure that its proposal is as close as possible to what the customer is looking for. A loyal customer needs to be satisfied, so knowing the customer is essential!