How to build customer loyalty for a bank to make them ambassadors
In order to grow a business, we must always think of customers first, which is why knowing how to build customer loyalty for a bank is essential, since this is a specifically difficult sector. By this I am referring to the fact that the banking industry has many stigmas around it , we are talking about fraud, problems with extra charges, among other things.
Due to this, it is essential to know what customers are looking for in a bank in order to implement strategies that help build customer loyalty . When we successfully retain our users, we can use it to our advantage to attract new potential customers who see our bank as an entity they can trust with their money in the long term.
But even though this can be a big challenge for banks, it doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Because, in fact, it can be achieved by executing strategies to retain customers in a bank that really reach customers. That way, we can retain users to become ambassadors for your bank.
So, now we can realize the importance of retaining customers for a bank, especially because it is beneficial in this complicated sector . That is why, in this article, we will see what it means to build customer loyalty, what its benefits or advantages are, and some strategies on how to build customer loyalty for a bank that will make them become ambassadors.
But first, know the points that will be addressed in this article.
- 1) What does it mean to retain customers?
- 2) Benefits of building customer loyalty
- 2.1) You reduce marketing expenses
- 2.2) You have more earnings
- 2.3) You get free advertising
- 2.4) You strengthen your position in the market
- 2.5) You have the ability to upgrade properly
- 2.6) It allows you to better segment customers
- 2.7) It gives your business a differential value
- 3) 4 strategies to retain bank customers
- 3.1) Invest in customer service
- 3.2) Adopt omnichannel
- 3.3) Implement chatbots
- 3.4) Rewards loyalty
What does it mean to retain customers?
Customer loyalty is about a series of marketing tactics and strategies that are carried out with the aim of developing a positive relationship between customers and companies . In addition, this also means that customers who have worked with our bank before do so regularly, so that they become regular customers.
Now, we will know that we have obtained a loyal client based on the interactions that they have with your business, that is, if the user works with your entity constantly or not. That is when you will know if a relationship of trust has really developed , although, it is somewhat obvious that it will not be instantaneous, but that you must nurture it little by little with the passage of time and contact.
That is why it is said that customer loyalty is a constant process that is not limited to a single campaign. On the contrary, it must be integrated into each marketing action that is going to be carried out. In fact, the foundation for customer loyalty is to promote a good experience every time you have some kind of communication with customers.
Once you manage to obtain a loyal customer, you can develop or build a series of communication tactics that are aimed at strengthening the relationship with users for a long period of time. Since this process not only ends when you have a loyal customer , you must go further so that in the long run it does not go away, because all customers can change their minds.
Therefore, apart from ensuring the preservation of users, another of the main reasons why it is worth investing in customer loyalty is that it is much cheaper . In other words, allocating our efforts to retain users who have already worked with our bank is much more beneficial than focusing on getting new customers.
Benefits of customer loyalty
So, as we already know, there are many reasons why it is important to retain customers and in this section of the article we will see some of them.
You reduce marketing expenses
It is a fact that five times more is spent trying to get a customer than to keep the one we already have. This is because you are focusing on attracting an audience that you are not sure will want to request the services of your bank . And, by trying to capture them, you spend on marketing efforts and tactics to be able to meet that goal.
However, when we focus on retaining customers who have already worked with us, we are investing much less money than when we attract users from scratch. In addition, loyal customers tend to recommend the business when they like the way they are served , and in this way, we will be attracting new conversions without any additional cost.
you have more profit
As well as reducing expenses, it also increases profits, since it is a reality that loyal customers will always tend to buy things or renew contracts with the business they are working with. Also, if the company offers them to upgrade to a better plan or buy something new, they will be more receptive to doing so because they are loyal to the brand.
So, following this logic, if your bank has loyal customers, it will be much easier for you to offer them new cards or some credit and they will obtain it. So, it is much more beneficial to retain customers if you want to have a higher profit margin.
It’s not always easy to get feedback. However, when you have loyal users, this whole process is much easier.
You get free advertising
Loyal customers are a great source of advertising at zero cost, because if they perceive that your business provides them with a quality service and experience , they will recommend it to their friends and family whenever they can. This type of advertising is called Referral Marketing and it is one of the ones that works best because there is nothing better than real testimonials to generate trust.
But, this does not only stop there, what I want to say is that we live in the digital age and everything is published on social networks. And, just as it is seen a lot, they tend to openly communicate what they dislike , in the same way they do it with what they like. So, there we also have free social media advertising .
Strengthen your position in the market
Another reason why it is important to retain customers is that it strengthens the position of your company, in this case your bank, in the market. Not only that, but it also helps you reach the place where you want to position your bank . In other words, if you still don’t know very well where your business is in relation to your competition, having loyal customers will tell you.
Likewise, if, for example, you want to position yourself as the best bank in the country, having loyal customers will make your path to the top much easier and faster. The best thing about this is that when you achieve that goal , it will be very difficult for the competition to remove you from that place because you will have the support of your loyal customers.
You have the ability to improve properly
Having the ability to improve correctly is a big reason why it is important to retain customers, many times companies are looking to grow, but they do not know where to start or what they should correct. For this reason, it is very important to obtain feedback from our clients and base ourselves on those opinions in order to improve some processes or services.
In addition, it is not always easy to obtain this feedback from customers for various reasons, however, when you have loyal customers, this whole process is much easier. Since, they will be more willing to give us feedback on what they thought of the experience or the service.
It allows you to better segment customers
Banking entities, like any other business, apply promotional campaigns and many times it is not for all their clients. In other words, companies select which clients they want to send certain campaigns to, knowing that these campaigns will have better results when directed to that audience.
Precisely for this reason, customer loyalty is essential, since when you have this type of customer it is obvious that you will have a base that will make it easier for you to segment them according to the campaign that your business wants to execute. This means that the tactics you implement will be successful because they will reach the right people.
Give your business a differential value
All businesses are constantly searching for that extra factor that makes them stand out from other companies. Since, when you have this differential factor, customers tend to look for your business , because they want to get something more than they know you can provide.
Now, the fact that you have loyal customers represents that you are doing something right in customer service. And, as we already know, this is something that people are always going to prefer and even pay more to get.
So, as you can read, customer loyalty has great benefits that can ensure the entry of new customers without spending money on efforts and tactics. In addition, it ensures your position in the market and gives you that differential value that is so important.
4 strategies to retain bank customers
The golden rule of any business is to retain customers and build a loyal relationship with them, thus avoiding customer acquisition costs. That is why it is necessary to know good strategies on how to build customer loyalty for a bank to make them become ambassadors. Next, we will see some of them.
Invest in customer service
The first step in the process of how to retain customers for a bank is to improve everything you can in customer service, even in these times there are companies that do not pay due attention to this strategy, which is a terrible mistake. Since, it is proven that good customer service is the most influential factor when it comes to retaining customers.
Therefore, you must have a trained team that understands customers and actually knows the correct way in which they like to be served. For that, they need to collect detailed information about customers , things like their tastes, needs, preferences; they can make a big difference in the level of your customer service.
Go omnichannel
The other step to know how to build customer loyalty for a bank is to adopt omnichannel , which can scare some companies since it is a term that is directly related to digitization , which for many means dehumanizing. Which in turn represents that we move away from customers, however, when executing this strategy, the opposite happens.
In other words, we get closer to customers and get to know them much better. Because omnichannel allows you to be present in all communication channels without losing the thread of the conversation , which means that, regardless of the platform, the quality of service will always be good. Which is a great point in favor when it comes to retaining customers.
A great strategy on how to build customer loyalty for a bank is to reward their permanence. They like to feel appreciated and valued .
Implement chatbots
Just as it is important to adopt omnichannel to know how to build customer loyalty for a bank, it is just as important to implement chatbots . Since, something that people are constantly looking for is that if they require any doubt to be clarified or need some type of support, the company must give it to them no matter what the moment.
This is something that chatbots give you, as they will be able to be available 24/7 for customers even if it is very early or very late . This is something that people will certainly appreciate and will build a stronger relationship, resulting in loyal customers.
Rewards loyalty
A great strategy on how to retain customers for a bank is to reward their permanence, customers love to feel appreciated and valued. Therefore, making them feel an important part of your bank is a tactic that will definitely work . It will even make us reach our main objective, which is to turn them into ambassadors, since they will start recommending you.
Now, to put this strategy into practice, what you can do is give your loyal customers rewards such as exclusive services, free them from commissions or lower interest rates. You can also send them gifts on important dates such as their birthdays, among others. In this way, you will ensure the loyalty of your customers.
So, even though it may seem difficult to retain customers in a sector such as banks , the tactics are nothing to write home about and if they are applied correctly, it is more than certain that they will have a large number of loyal customers who will become your ambassadors.
We are who we choose to be! And you must choose to become the best bank and you will achieve it by retaining your customers. Which not only brings you great advantages, but also because the strategies on how to build customer loyalty for a bank are easy to carry out.