CRM and loyalty: enhance the customer experience in your business

Keeping your customers satisfied is more profitable than getting new ones. Studies show that this cost can be up to 7 times higher. Therefore, a CRM strategy to retain customers will create a feeling of loyalty towards your business and will generate a positive effect on your sales.

On this occasion, we tell you:

• What is CRM and how can it help in the customer loyalty strategy?
• Advantages of building customer loyalty through a CRM 
• What are the types of CRM? 

What is CRM and how can it help in the customer loyalty strategy? 

It is a set of strategies and tools that allow you to manage contact points and relationships with customers .

Customer loyalty is achieved when a company manages to maintain a long-term relationship with its consumers. Either through loyalty programs or different benefits that produce good results, such as repeat purchases or brand recommendation through word-of-mouth advertising . 

Nowadays, customer satisfaction is key for companies and technologies are booming. Therefore, the ways of relating to consumers also evolve. 

The CRM strategy, in this sense, is based on the use of software that helps your sales and customer service teams with the information necessary to provide a personalized and satisfactory service. 

In fact, 60% of companies want (or are actively planning) to implement customer service experiences , because they clearly see the competitive advantage that this strategy provides companies. 

Advantages of building customer loyalty through a CRM

F or 68% of customers, having a positive experience in a messaging channel significantly improves their loyalty to the brand — this data shows the importance of good service in making sales. 

Below we present some advantages of using CRM as a customer loyalty strategy. 

Customer segmentation

One of the most important features of CRM software is the ability to segment your customers based on their behavior . This is a key strategy to retain your clientele, since the decisions you make come from there.

By providing personalized service and maintaining constant communication , CRM helps strengthen the relationship with customers, resulting in greater loyalty and lower churn.

Personalization of the customer relationship

By segmenting your customers, you have the possibility of knowing them and grouping them according to what they are looking for . This way, instead of offering the same offers or products to everyone, you can distinguish which offer or product may really interest them. 

This generates greater satisfaction and confidence in the company. The strategy for a good customer experience is an aspect that every successful company must master. 

Discover more: Customer experience strategy: how to plan?

Improved profitability

By building loyalty among existing customers, the company reduces the costs associated with acquiring new consumers . Additionally, loyal users often make repeat purchases and can become brand advocates, helping to increase profitability.

Studies show that 70% of consumers spend more with companies that offer seamless, personalized and seamless customer experiences.

Optimization of company-customer communication

More and more consumers are looking for convenient and fast options to make inquiries and, more importantly, obtain clear answers. 60% of users base their purchasing decisions on the level of service they expect to receive , so the key is to provide the appropriate means to communicate and integrate channels for an omnichannel experience .  

To explore new communication channels read: New communication channels? Tips to make the most of them

Improvement of internal processes

An efficient CRM automates tasks and facilitates customer relationship management. This streamlines internal processes, improves operational efficiency , and allows sales and customer service teams to spend more time engaging with customers one-on-one.

Are you SMEs? You may be interested in: CRM for SMEs: 5 unmissable advantages

Integration with social networks 

A CRM strategy focused on customers helps you know what information to find on social networks and how often. Today, the majority of new customer inquiries are handled by customer service on social media , and starting off on the right foot with a new customer is key to achieving subsequent loyalty.

What are the types of CRM?

There are 4 types of CRM that serve to unify customer data in one place and make internal processes more efficient .

Each has a standout feature that makes them more suitable for specific usage contexts:

Operational CRM

It is a system that seeks to improve customer-related processes by unifying the activities of different departments into a single interface. Its goal is to encourage collaboration and increase productivity. 

A notable feature of this type of CRM is process automation , allowing professionals to work more efficiently and with fewer steps.

Analytical CRM

It focuses on the collection, storage and analysis of data to convert large amounts of consumer information into useful knowledge for business decision-making.

As a standout feature of Analytical CRM, it gives you a deep understanding of your customers , including their location, age, gender, interests, income, and purchasing habits, among other relevant aspects.

The centralization of information helps to perfect processes. Understand  what type of data you can include in CRM software and how it can help you manage your business .

Strategic CRM

It has an approach that focuses on aligning the company’s activities with long-term strategic objectives. Its main objective is to use the information collected from clients to make strategic decisions that drive business growth and profitability.

Unlike other types of CRM, the Strategic CRM type can help you identify trends and patterns in consumer behavior and thus establish growth opportunities.

Collaborative CRM

Its focus is on internal communication and collaboration, as well as interaction with customers , allowing different departments to access updated information and respond quickly and efficiently to queries, requests or problems.

The importance of customer service is backed by statistics. Discover more in: Customer service: all the keys to success

Build customer loyalty with the help of Zendesk 

Although today part of the focus is on getting new leads, prioritizing the clients you already have is a necessity. A CRM strategy to manage loyalty relationships , supported by Zendesk customer service software , may be what you need to increase customer loyalty.