Customer Communication | Effective Strategies for Success 

You’re leaving money on the table if you haven’t invested tools to help you improve customer communication.

Why?

… because how well you communicate with your customers can impact your business’s profitability, retention, and referrals.

With 40% of consumers ending business relationships due to poor service, you want to prioritize excellent communication to keep your customers satisfied and loyal.

The best customer communication strategy involves meeting clients where they are, using their preferred channels for timely, personalized, and consistent engagement. 

That’s what we’ll discuss in this blog post.

What is Customer Communication Management?

Customer Communication Management (CCM) is a strategy and set of processes businesses use to manage and improve customer interactions.

It involves using technology to design, deliver, store, and analyze customer communications across various channels, such as email, SMS, social media, and websites.

Why Do You Need a Solid Customer Communication  Plan?

Is having a well-thought-out customer communication strategy important? Yes. Here’s why:

It Increases Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is crucial for business success, and a well-implemented communication strategy plays a significant role in keeping your clients happy,

Furthermore, research shows that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.

Numbers don’t lie, and to build customer loyalty, you’ll want to keep your communications timely, relevant, and personalized. 

Effective communication also helps customers feel valued and understood, which directly impacts their satisfaction levels.

“If your job is customer satisfaction, your real job title is problem solver.”

Brian Tracy – Business Author

It Increases Retention

It costs more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. And, a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%.

Given such stats, a strong customer service communication strategy is essential for building long-lasting relationships with clients.

In addition, frequent, meaningful customer service interactions can reduce the likelihood of customers switching to competitors.

It Increases Customer Engagement

Engaged customers are more likely to give you repeat business and become brand advocates.

Businesses with robust multichannel customer engagement retain 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for those with weak engagement.

You can maintain a consistent and engaging presence when you meet your customers on their preferred communication channels—whether it’s email, social media, SMS, or live chat.

This multichannel approach keeps customers connected and makes it easier for them to interact with the brand in ways that are most convenient for them.

It Allows You to Understand Your Customers Better

When you understand your customer’s needs and preferences, you can deliver personalized experiences.

Research shows that 73% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations. A good communication strategy allows your support team to collect and analyze data from customer interactions.

You can then use this information to gain valuable insights into customers’ behavior, preferences, and pain points. As a result, you can anticipate your clients’ needs and develop proactive communication to serve them better.

What Communication Channels Do Customers Use Most?

Today’s customers are using multiple channels to communicate. Your business needs to communicate with customers irrespective of the channel they use to contact your organization.

But before you can do that, you need to know which channels your customers use more frequently.

Email

A staggering 306 billion emails were sent and received every day globally around the world in 2020. That tells why your consumer communication plan should include emails.

Customers often prefer email for receiving order confirmations, newsletters, and personalized offers. In addition, email’s asynchronous nature allows recipients to respond at their convenience, making it a flexible communication medium.

Social Media

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are increasingly popular for customer communication.

These channels offer direct and immediate interactions with businesses, making them ideal for customer service inquiries, feedback, and engagement.

Furthermore, the speed of social media interactions can significantly improve your customer communication efforts, allowing you to provide quick responses and solutions to problems.

Live Chat

According to Forrester Research, 63% of customers are more likely to return to a website that offers live chat.

When embedded on your website or mobile app, live chat ensures clients can reach your customer service representative in real time for immediate assistance.

In addition, chatbots that can handle routine queries and integrations with CRM systems make it easier to provide a more personalized experience for your customers. 

SMS/Text Messaging

Research from Gartner indicates that SMS open rates and messages are as high as 98%. Customers often prefer SMS for receiving alerts, reminders, and booking confirmations.

In addition, text messages are good for urgent updates such as appointment reminders, delivery notifications, and promotional offers.

As a business, you can leverage SMS to reach customers on the go and communicate important information promptly.

Plus, SMS’s simplicity and directness also make it a valuable tool for short surveys and feedback collection.

Phone Calls

Phone conversations provide a personal touch and are ideal for resolving complex issues or sensitive matters that require detailed discussion.

According to a study by Invoca, 65% of customers prefer to contact a business by phone. Customers value human interaction and the ability to convey emotions and nuances that can get lost in written communication.

 For businesses, phone calls offer an opportunity to build strong customer relationships through direct, voice-to-voice interaction.

How to Improve Customer Communication

With so many choices, customers will not hesitate to take their money elsewhere if you can’t offer a seamless experience.  

An American Express study found that consumers are willing to spend 17% more to do business with companies that deliver excellent service.

Conversely, 50% of consumers have scrapped a planned purchase because of bad service. Additionally, 33% say they’ll consider switching companies after a single customer service encounter.

How can you improve customer communication to ensure you’re on your client’s good side?

Here’s how;  

Get a Multichannel Communication Platform

A good multichannel communication platform allows clients and potential customers to interact with your businesses in their preferred channels.

According to Deloitte, businesses that use two or more communication channels experience 166% higher engagement rates.  

Still, a significant percentage of businesses have yet to implement a multichannel communication strategy. 

Needless to say, they are struggling to deliver the positive interactions required to keep clients engaged throughout their customer journey.  

Communicate With Customers in Their Preferred Channels

Imagine getting a call when you prefer a text or an email when you love a good chat. Frustrating, right? The same applies to your customers. Easy communication is the heartbeat of lasting customer relationships.

When you meet your customers where they are, they feel valued, which builds trust and makes interactions seamless and enjoyable.

Plus, whether the customer prefers webchat, text, call, or live chat, you’re making it easy for them to connect with your customer service representatives.

Personalize Every Interaction

There’s something about personalized interaction — it helps build familiarity. It turns casual shoppers into dedicated buyers. In addition, when you personalize, you develop deeper connections and encourage customer loyalty.

Segmentation is the first step to personalizing communications that meet customer expectations. Because your business caters to different client types, segmentation allows you to craft communications that resonate with each segment.

Moreover, segmentation enables you to map the customer’s journey and analyze behavior to create personas. These personas help you identify communication preferences and develop targeted messages that speak directly to each group’s desires and pain points.

Encourage Proactive Communication

Encouraging proactive communication allows you to anticipate your customer needs and address concerns before they arise.

Proactive communication shows that you value your customers’ time and experience. Instead of waiting for issues to surface, you preemptively offer solutions and helpful information. As a result, you can reduce frustration and improve the overall customer experience.

How do you ensure customers engage with your business proactively in an age where they get instant answers thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI)? While you can still use AI-powered chatbots, it’s essential to have human customer support agents to provide live support and resolve complicated matters.

Listen to Your Customers

You open the door to a two-way conversation when actively seeking your customer’s opinions.

Think of it this way: 68% of customers leave because they feel a company doesn’t care about them. Regular feedback requests turn that around, making customers feel valued and heard.

And the benefits go beyond sentiment.

Companies that prioritize customer feedback see a 10% increase in annual revenue. Why? Because feedback is a goldmine of insights, revealing what works and what doesn’t. Listening to your customers gives you a free roadmap to improve your products and services.

“Good listeners are like trampolines. They are someone you can bounce ideas off of — and rather than absorbing your ideas and energy, they amplify, energize, and clarify your thinking.”

Jack Zenger and Folkman

Improve Internal Communications

Happy employees = happy customers. Businesses with engaged employees outperform their competition by 147%. And that’s because happy employees are passionate and eager to go the extra mile.

When your internal communication is strong, employees feel connected to the company’s goals, which translates to better customer interactions.

Moreover, smooth internal communication ensures everyone is on the same page. There are no mismatched messages or frustrating delays. Customers experience a seamless journey, whether they’re talking to sales, support, or anyone else on your team.

Have a Self-serve Portal

Self-service options give customers what they want — control and faster solutions. While these customers may not be communicating directly with your team, they can solve small problems on their own. 

Some self-serve solutions you can offer to improve communication include a knowledge base, explainer videos, and how-to guides. 

Track Your Strategies

74% of companies that exceed revenue and lead goals have documented strategies. It’s no coincidence. 

Tracking metrics like first response time, average resolution, and customer satisfaction gives invaluable insights on how to tweak your customer communication strategy best.  

In addition, tracking allows you to see which channels your customers prefer and even what time of day they’re most likely to engage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the Types of Customer Communications?

There are several types of customer communication channels, including phone calls, emails, live chat, social media interactions, SMS messaging, video calls, and face-to-face meetings. Each channel serves different purposes and caters to diverse customer preferences.

What Makes Good Customer Communication?

Good customer communication is clear, empathetic, timely, and solution-focused.

It involves active listening, personalized responses, and maintaining a consistent tone across channels.

Why is Communication Important in Customer Relations?

Communication is important to customer relations as it builds trust, resolves issues efficiently, and builds loyalty.

In addition, it allows businesses to understand customer needs, provide timely support, and create a positive experience.

Furthermore, effective communication can lead to higher satisfaction, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals, enabling long-term success.

Improve Customer Communication with the MioCommerce Multichannel Inbox

The first step to meeting your customers in their preferred communication channels is investing in a multichannel communication platform.

A solution that can handle multiple communication channels allows you to give your customers the best possible service irrespective of their preferred channels.

The MioCommerce Multichannel Inbox allows you to unify all customer interactions into a single, easy-to-manage interface, ensuring seamless communication and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Get Started with the MioCommerce Multichannel Inbox

Our multichannel inbox is easy to use and designed to make customer communication seamless, efficient, and profitable.

Book a demo to learn more and start improving your customer communication today.