In the digital age, a good customer experience is not limited to in-store interactions. New communication methods allow you to effectively engage customers through multiple touch points and devices. The tools and strategies outlined in this post are designed to encourage customers to take an action, whether it be to place an order, share delivery information, or promote your cleaner.
Multi-Channel Ordering
Web and mobile technology offers entirely new methods of buying and receiving goods and services. Indeed, 78 percent of consumers find the ability to order online to be important. For dry cleaners, route and single order customers can place orders, communicate pickup instructions with drivers, and take advantage of incentives without calling or stepping into a store.
Website Ordering
Web Ordering differs from the traditional paper or online signup form because customers are automatically placed into your CRM and driver manifest — no more manual entry for the cleaner. Customers can place an order, join a route, and securely enter payment information from your website.
Mobile Apps
A growing number of consumers expect businesses to have a mobile presence. Among Millennials alone, 83% percent plan to conduct mobile commerce in 2016. And the value of mobile goes beyond targeting young consumers. Push notifications and text messages allow you to proactively engage customers instead of waiting for them to come to you.
Route Communication
Pickup and delivery is a natural place to improve customer communication. While your driver may see the customer every week, you can increase engagement throughout the cleaning process with notifications, updates and reminders.
24-Hour Confirmation
Only about 35% of typical route customers will have a pickup on any given week, leading to wasted driver time and mileage. Automated communication enables cleaners to remind customers via text message of an upcoming pickup the day before, increasing use of the service. Customers that do not have anything to clean can opt to skip that week’s pickup, automatically removing them from the driver’s manifest.
Order Status
Inform customers when their order is processed. Single order customers can be notified when their order is ready for delivery.
Loyalty and Upselling
Cleaners with an existing customer base can use technology to unlock immense value, increasing order volume and leveraging loyalty to reach new customers.
Refer a Friend
Promotions that utilize peer-to-peer sharing reduce your customer acquisition cost by nearly 75%. One Starchup customer saw a 15% growth in its customer base over a 6 month period through refer-a-friend campaigns. Uber, Dropbox, and Airbnb built much of their early customer bases primarily through referrals.
Feedback & Reviews
Capture feedback before customers take their opinions to social media or review sites. Manage negative feedback internally and publicize positive feedback.
Digital Receipts
Going paperless through email not only reduces your paper consumption, but provides an added opportunity to engage with your customers. Ask for a referral, a review, or promote an ancillary service in your receipt.
Communication that drives action will see more engagement. Digital engagement tools allow both your new and your most loyal customers to easily place orders and foster strong relationships with your business.
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