Does Emotionally Engaging with Customers Matter? You Bet!
Are you reaping the benefits of emotionally engaging your customers? As you probably already know, emotionally engaged customers are far more valuable than those who are not. 1.) They recommend you. 2. They buy more from you. 3. and They are less concerned about price. However, creating emotional engagement with customers is challenging.
To illustrate this point, here’s a story from one of our Client Success Managers, Randi Beals. She describes some do’s and don’ts in creating an emotional customer connection. Yes, this is a B2C situation, but there are lessons for our B2B world.
Randi’s Story
We’ve been customers of this company’s service for 16 years. When we moved to a new house, we continued with their services. Recently, I received only a note card with my address – no identification of who sent the note on the envelope. Upon opening, the logo for the company was on the front, and the card below contained only a short, cryptic, handwritten message. See below.
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- No formalities or introductions.
- No personal touches after 16 years of service.
- And, last, no signature or business card to allow for a human connection, or “if you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Connecting emotionally with your customers will always matter. But, unfortunately, they missed the mark here.
When we first signed on with them, there weren’t too many options for this niche in 2006. However, in 2018, there were many more options. But, we continue to choose this company for no other reason than familiarity and comfort. That’s a big thing for so many, I’m sure – comfort.
So, here we are now –
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- Will this missed opportunity to thank me more effectively cost them our business? No…it would take too much time and energy to find someone new.
- Because they know that most folks don’t switch this service often, is that why they’re not trying too hard to thank their customers? Not sure.
- Will I be screaming from the rooftops how wonderful they are? Also no.
This particular example is a service we’re receiving that, for us, is necessary. And it’s also one company managers know most people aren’t going to drop once they have it.
However, Since I work in the customer service industry, it’s easy for me to identify when companies miss the mark and where there are opportunities for greatness. I realize that culture is difficult to change, and it’s not something that changes overnight. But, small changes can happen.
Let’s paint a different picture for Emotional Engagement
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- What if I had received a note card with clear identification from this company on the envelope?
- What if the note inside had been addressed to me personally?
- What if they had thanked my family for our 16 years of loyalty, and if we had any questions, concerns, or even suggestions, please reach out directly to someone (including name and contact information)?
- And, finally, what if they could have offered us a free month of services “just because?”
Would that change my whole view of the company? Absolutely. I would feel valued. And it could also create a “fan” because I now have a personal connection to someone I can refer other folks to if needed.
Conclusion
As you see from Randi’s story, just a little extra effort can go a long way in building emotional engagement, but too little effort never works. To read more about engaging your customers, I recommend, The New Science of Customer Emotions by HBR. Remember, emotionally engaging your customers is the foundation of your customer loyalty and business.
