Five 'Do's' For Customer Relationship Management in the Digital World

Virtual customers are a fickle lot, and many of them are getting away because companies are not paying attention to those acquired last month. For a number of digital entities, the fervor to grow a customer base is often outweighing the most effective cost of sale option, repeat customers.

Pure customer acquisition on the Net now has to be offset with retention and customer management. It is simply too expensive to continually go fishing for new customers.

Here are some suggestions on how to go about keeping customers longer and generating repeat purchases by using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) on the Net:

1."Be ready to engage your customer in conversation every second of the day"
In the digital age, you cant talk to your customers at your leisure -- you have to be ready to talk when they want to.

Solution: Set up a 24X7 open line of communications

2."Make customer relations a two-way street"
In a web-savvy world, customers not only want to be heard, they want to respond. They want to engage you in conversation, brainstorming, and relationship building.

Solution: Make your communication honest and credible, and show that the idea flow is going both ways.

3."Your web site should be like the old neighborhood store"
The proprietor remembers all of his customers and what they represent to him and his family. The Internet has shrunk back to old-fashioned neighborliness, making conversations you have with anyone around the world, immediate and as intimate as if that person was right in front of you.

Solution: Create customized online communities with discussion boards, chat rooms, and online events all focused to keep visitors on the site longer and more satisfied.

4."Never Stop Trying To Understand Your Customer (Visitor)"
Information flow is accelerating and competitive pressures are increasing. It is easy to loose sight ofthe importance of understanding the customer. Get your customer to exchange information that will help you communicate to them more effectively and relevantly.

Solution: Create a value proposition - if your customer gives you personal information, not only will you guard it, but you will remember the customer next time they come to your site and make their visit more time efficient.

5."Make Your Customer Feel Special"
Relationships with customers should be much like relationships you might have with friends or family. You need to keep in touch; otherwise they will think you dont care. Let your customers know that they are the center of your thoughts by creating special events or personalized communications.

Solution: Custom tailor communications with customers that reference information given you by the customer. Routinely follow up earlier communications, always asking permission to continue to contact them. Provide sneak previews of upcoming products, "invitation only" events.

About the Author


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