The loyalty program you have and the customer service department probably aren’t communicating frequently. The loyalty group is focused on reward and engagement, and support is focused on solving issues.
However, here’s something you may not be aware of: when the two teams share data they both win. Support staff can offer superior, personalized services in the event that they are aware of a customer’s loyalty status. The loyalty program becomes more effective when people realize the status of their customers affects the way they’re treated if something goes incorrectly.
This article outlines eight feasible ways to sync loyalty with support service data. These are straightforward ideas every business could implement no matter if you’ve got a basic loyalty program or an advanced technology. It’s the goal to show the way of connecting loyalty data to support the customer and build stronger connections.
Two Sides, One Coin: 8 Ways to Unite Loyalty and Support for Complete Customer Views
1. Give Support Agents Instant Access to Loyalty Status
The simplest and crucial process is connecting loyalty data to support customers. Once a customer calls support, your agent must be able to immediately view their loyalty tier, the points balance as well as their membership history.
It changes the way that agents conduct each encounter. The Platinum member is instantly recognized: “Thank you for being one of our top members. We truly appreciate your loyalty.” The new member receives the following encouragement: “I see you just joined our rewards program. Welcome.”
The simple information display costs nearly zero to install. The majority of help desk applications will integrate with loyalty platforms and agents could keep a separate screen open that displays customer details. It’s all about making it part of the normal procedure so that the agents are aware of whom they’re speaking to.
A hotel chain that used this strategy discovered that loyal customers reported greater satisfaction of 40% when staff members acknowledged their status in phone calls. Recognition alone was enough to make people feel valued.
2. Create VIP Support Tiers
Customers do not all require the same amount of assistance. Your very best customers deserve faster, more personalized service. When you sync loyalty data with your customers and routing VIPs to agents who are specialized or queues with priority.
Imagine a client who’s had a relationship with you for 5 years and has a budget of thousands. When they experience a difficulty the customer shouldn’t have to wait in line for more than twenty minutes. The system will be aware of their problem and send them towards the top of the queue.
A few companies have designated numbers or emails to VIP customers. Some train agents specifically to serve customers of the highest quality. It is crucial to ensure that the most important customers you have ever feel like a mere ticket number.
A computer company has introduced VIP routing to their highest 5% of clients. The response time dropped between four and fifteen minutes. The number of customers who were churned dropped substantially. The cost of specialized customer support was repaid several times over.
3. Customize support interactions with purchase Histories
Data on loyalty includes purchases. If agents know the items a client has purchased and what they have purchased, they are able to provide more assistance.
Someone calling to inquire regarding a product that they bought in the last six months doesn’t have to describe what they purchased. The person who answers the phone already knows. They could say, “I see you purchased our espresso machine in March. How can I help with it today?”
It saves time for customers and aggravation. It is not necessary to recall information, or look for order numbers. Conversations begin by letting the agent know that they have been informed.
In the case of exchanges or returns the agents will immediately know what is acceptable. In case of troubleshooting issues, they can identify what model of the client is using. Every interaction gets easier and faster.
4. Use Loyalty Data to Guide Recovery Efforts
If customers who are loyal have issues they face greater risks. If a new customer experiences a negative experience he may never return. However, a customer who experiences a negative experience or receives bad service could turn into a vocal critique.
When you think of connecting loyalty data to support services data, you are able to automatically identify support tickets from the most valuable customers. If the Platinum customer has an issue, the system could warn a manager, or even require more care.
When you sync loyalty with support, it doesn’t mean that every faithful client gets special treatment to address every minor problem. Your team knows what it takes to go above and beyond. An extremely loyal customer with a defective product could receive an immediate replacement delivered within a few hours, while new customers could get an easy return procedure.
It is crucial to match your actions to the customer’s worth. Customers who are loyal have earned themselves the right to receive extra support when things go wrong. Support systems should be aware of this value of loyalty and provide it.
A company that uses subscription boxes that uses this method reduced the rate of customer churn by 25 percent. If problems did arise they sorted them out quickly. The customers felt that the decades of loyalty meant something.
5. Recognize Positive Support Interactions through Loyalty Points
Support interactions needn’t only be about resolving problems. They could also serve as an opportunity to develop trust and loyalty. You could offer customers rewards or points in exchange for positive customer service experiences.
If a customer rates the support experience high, you can automatically give them reward points for loyalty. If a customer’s problem can be resolved in a short time, offer an incentive of a modest amount. These gestures turn support from a cost center into a relationship-building opportunity.
Certain companies offer a discount code following the resolution of every support ticket. Some companies offer points for taking part in Post-support surveys. This doesn’t have to be huge. A small gesture of appreciation can create a good feeling.
The company began awarding 100 points per customer service interaction that is rated 5 stars. In just six months, customer scores of satisfaction increased dramatically. Clients were grateful for being acknowledged by their feedback and time.
6. Use Support Data to Identify Loyalty Opportunities
The relationship is a two-way street. Customer interactions can help build loyalty. If a client has an enjoyable experience, it’s the ideal moment to ask customers to sign up for the loyalty programs of your company.
Make sure that agents mention the program in conversation. “I’m glad we could help. By the way, did you know we have a rewards program? You’ve already earned points from this purchase.”
If a client has several issues that are resolved successfully the majority of them are willing to engage in more meaningful ways. Customer support data may help you identify those who may be ripe to receive a loyalty invite or upgrade in tier.
An online retailer studied support data and discovered that customers with three positive interactions with support were 40percent more likely to sign up for their loyalty program after being invited. The retailer began targeting clients with promotions and noticed that membership grew significantly.
7. Develop Closed-Loop Feedback From Support to Loyalty
Connecting loyalty data to Support staff is necessary because they can hear information that loyalty teams don’t. Customers express their displeasure, thoughts as well as product feedback on call-in support. This is valuable information for improving the loyalty program you have in place.
Develop a system that allows agents of support to mark comments that are pertinent to loyalty. Customers might be confused on what they can earn in order to get points. They might wish that they could get certain rewards. They might love a specific reward and would like to have more of it.
Feedback from customers should be provided frequently to the people who manage the loyalty program. Meetings every month where the support team shares their experiences can spur changes that boost participation.
The beauty company learned via customer feedback that consumers wanted to exchange points for small discounts and not only huge discounts. The brand added a reward of $5 option, and observed redemptions increase 60%. This information was derived directly through support phone calls.
8. Measure and Share Success Stories
When you sync loyalty with support, good things happen. Measure them and share the stories. Track metrics like satisfaction scores for loyalty members versus non-members. Compare resolution times.
Calculate how many loyal customers were saved by extra care during support interactions. Share specific stories with your team. “Remember when Mrs. Jones had that problem with her order? Because we saw she was a five-year customer, we sent her a replacement overnight. She wrote us a thank-you note and posted about it on social media.”
These stories remind everyone why connecting loyalty data to support matters. They make the work real and meaningful. And they encourage your team to keep looking for ways to improve.
A small online store started sharing one support success story at each weekly meeting. Within months, agents were proactively suggesting improvements and looking for ways to recognize loyal customers. The culture shifted from transaction-focused to relationship-focused.
Conclusion
It’s not necessary to apply the entire eight suggestions at one time. Select a couple of these which you feel are manageable, and then start with that. This month maybe you’ll offer agents access to the loyalty status. Next month you’ll create a VIP support queue. In time, you’ll create the foundation of a system that sync loyalty with support functions effortlessly.
It doesn’t have to be complex. Some help desk software integrates with standard tools for loyalty. If they don’t, easy solutions such as having your agents look at an additional screen as you design superior solutions.