How implementing standards increase customer loyalty

The more loyal customers a brand has, the higher its demand. Companies with a loyal audience can spend less on marketing and promotion, set the most favorable prices for business, retain customers during the crisis, as well as be recognizable and desirable, despite the reputation fraud of competing companies and detractors.

In order to develop a sustainable brand commitment, increase brand recognition and customer loyalty, it is necessary to pay attention to the behavior of its own consumers. Consumer behavior depends directly on their motivation. Consumer motivation influences the entire purchasing decision process. 

Our client, a well-known clothing brand with an annual turnover of 5 billion dollars, decided to find out how compliance with customer service standards affects motivation and decision to buy.

During the study, our mystery shoppers have conducted 80 visits in one wave (stage) of investigation. There were three such stages, 300 questionnaires each. Thanks to these visits, our client is now aware of the extent to which compliance with service standards correlates with the level of customer satisfaction.

Service standards compliance

According to the research results:

• In 39% of cases, a client was satisfied with the visit if sales assistants not just said goodbye, but added a polite comment.
• 36% of clients were satisfied with the visit, and they appreciated it when a consultant honestly and truthfully told whether the chosen piece of clothing suited them.
• 33% of customers were satisfied with the visit when they were helped to visualize the total look.
• In 32% of cases, customer satisfaction was influenced not only by consideration of consumer needs but also by the seller’s initiative to choose another model if a buyer did not like it or if the previous one did not fit.

After the Mystery Shopping check-up, our client has a positive trend in complying with common service standards at every stage of service provision:

• Seller consultations — customer satisfaction increased from 70% to 80%.
• Clothing sales increased from 69% to 82%.
• The external attractiveness of the store — increased from 84 to 87%.

Due to our research, we have identified the main standards that influence customer satisfaction:

1. Verbal support at all stages of purchase: consultation, product selection, assistance with fitting and decision making, discussion of details such as price, return conditions and exchange.
2. Cleanliness in dressing rooms. The goods layout is not paid as much attention as clean fitting rooms.
3. The consultant’s enthusiasm. He should be able to speak cheerfully and confidently about the products offered.
4. Offer a customer his assessment: “Try on this model and come out, I’ll have a look and be able to tell you my opinion, whether this model suits you or not.”
5. Electronic receipt. Has the client been offered at the cash desk an opportunity to receive a receipt by e-mail?

A loyal customer has affection for the products of one producer, he does not accept advertising messages of competitors, easily makes repeat purchases and every time he is satisfied with his choice. An ideal consumer for business, isn’t it? However, such devotion should be deserved.

How can one win customer loyalty?

• When saying goodbye to a customer, add something personalized: come back again | were glad to see you | waiting for you again!
• Ask a client about occasion he chooses items for everyday use, business purpose, special occasion. Describe a real situation, taking a person from the fitting room into real life in imagination, so that he could imagine himself in the situation for which he chooses jeans, for example.
• Offer additional accessories. 70% of accessories are usually bought in addition to the main item. It is less frequent that customers come especially for an accessory. 

Create loyalty to your brand means to give consumers confidence that your products or services are exactly what they need to be happy, what they should have and what they can not be without. It’s a strong emotional impact on the potential customer behavior.