Unlike the case with many online retailers, to Amazon sellers, customers are not mere statistics in a KPI report. Customer relationship management is to them a matter of going that extra mile to attract new customers and retain them. Yet, how can you be certain that you’re going that extra mile?
Read on to see how you could take your CRM strategy to the next level.
Back in the day, customer experience, engagement and relationship management were three very different things. With the dawn of online retail and Big Data, customers engage more, blurring these boundaries, and making it harder for you to leverage your resources. That’s why defining your CRM strategy clearly is essential.
CRM, KPI and CSF
We were taught a few magic words in childhood that come in very handy on Amazon, like ‘Thank you’, ‘Please’ and ‘Sorry’. But there are three other words you need to master to retain customers. We point out what they are, how they relate to a CRM strategy, and give general examples applicable to most companies below.
To improve your CRM strategy, you need to work on all these three factors. You, and you alone, must develop and set your KPIs, and we can’t make those decisions for you. But we can suggest some CRM and CSF steps for you to take when Seller Central reports can’t point you in the right direction.
Tried and Tested CRM Tools
- identifying return and loyal customers to determine appropriate incentives for them
- identifying ex-loyal and inactive customers to incentivize, reclaim and reintegrate them
- assessing relationship longevity before determining appropriate discounts
- evaluating order history to propose future incentives, such as loyalty points or vouchers
- sifting out serial complainers
- setting up a frequent shopper program
- drawing up customer profiles
CSF Suggestions
- Outsourcing CS
Hire customer support specialists (like SellerEngine) to help improve customer satisfaction, making sure email response time, customer metrics and ODR are on target, and meeting both Amazon requirements and your individual objectives as well.
2. Complimentary Gifts
If you’re an MFN seller, freebies like postcards, bookmarks, extra dust jackets, reading lights, free magazines and complimentary calendars could be set aside for customers. Routine shrink wrapping, gift wrapping, choosing cardboard over bubble padded envelopes, taking the invoice out for repeat customers, and other small favors could be part of the package.
3. Recommendations
You could try sending customized emails and suggestions for similar, add-on or auxiliary products from your inventory, particularly if you’re an FBA seller and unable to apply point 2 above.
Whether you have a chance to use any of our tips or not, we hope that they’ve sparked some ideas. We’re here to help, and we hope you won’t hesitate to contact our support team with customer retention related issues. After all, your love for the customer is only as deep as you’re willing to go to make your CRM strategy work.
Melanie takes an active interest in all things Amazon. She keeps an eye on the latest developments, and keeps Amazon sellers up to speed.