How Far Does a Happy Customer Go?

Did you ask yourself how far satisfied customers can go? Is a recommendation about your brand, products or solutions is the ultimate act of happy customers?

Let’s face it: Not all customers are equal. Some, if you’re lucky, will become super-fans of your business; Customer Advocates, if you will.

BUT, how can you make your customers (as much as possible) be your advocate? What will be the ultimate level of loyalty?

Too many questions... I will simplify the answer with a simple model of the customer's satisfaction journey. A road of a customer that become to be your ultimate advocate.

Allow me to explain.

The first two stages of satisfaction are the buyers. For the buyers that purchased your services, you provided something that can answer their needs. Remember, if they were not satisfied with what they learned and found about you in the presale stage, they could go to other places. They were satisfied and you won.

You did it right. A customer was happy and came back for more. Repurchase, contract renewal, up-sell, cross sale, upgrade etc... the customer became to be a repeating customer.

You did your best and your customer continues to be happy. He is satisfied and proud to be your customer and use your services. He will be willing to recommend you and your solutions. A recommendation it the first step in the Customer Advocate stage. The recommender is passive and will be happy to talk positively about you - if you just ask. I call it a passive advocate.

Can it go further? But of course. Imagine, as John Lennon said, that your customer becomes your evangelist. A customer who seeks to convert others to be your customers. An active advocate. He will talk about your excellency even if you don't ask.

This does not stop here. A happy customer can do one more step to express his loyally, satisfaction and trust with you. He can become your shareholder. Yes! He would like to be part of your success. It's not just a business's decision or opportunity like buying Coca Cola shares but drinking Pepsi. It's an act of trust and high level of engagement.

Remember:

Customer engagement needs to go beyond the marketing functions. It requires an excellent collaboration between all the departments in your company. One orchestra that plays the customer care symphony.

I didn't forget the other side of the chart. No one wants to be there. You do not want a marginal customer that does not pay for what he received just because he is unhappy. A dissatisfied customer will not buy again. He will find the first opportunity to leave you; buy another brand and... be an activist against you. He will talk against your service, product, brand and will cause a damage that will require significant effort to fix (and I did not talk about lawsuits).

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"A happy customer tells a friend;

An unhappy customer tells the world.”

- unknown -

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This model looks very dichotomic, however as I learned, the world if not just black and white. The secret of managing customers is to manage the grey areas in a way that at the end you will build long-lasting strong relationships with your customer. In return, you will grow your business, expand your market share and maximize your profit.

... And if you want to know more of how to make your customers happy, satisfied, and how to exceed their expectations, look for my next article.