How to Turn Customers into Loyal Advocates [Expert Opinion]

I can’t emphasize enough how crucial customer loyalty and advocacy are for any business. 

Loyal customers are not just repeat buyers; they can literally drive marketing for you through word of mouth, and create a ripple effect that can significantly boost your growth. In fact, the effects of having a loyal customer base are more evident today since everyone is spoilt for choice. 

To gain a deeper understanding of how to build and nurture customer loyalty, I spoke with Stephanie Ouellet, Senior Customer Service Manager at Earth Rated. Stephanie has a wealth of experience from her time at Earth Rated, a company that creates thoughtfully-designed products for people who love dogs. 

She shared some fantastic insights on personalization, community building, and practical strategies that have helped turn one-time buyers into enthusiastic advocates. 

Q1. How do you define customer loyalty in today’s competitive market?

Our goal is to create a community around our products and brand. We believe that ensuring our customers consistently have exceptional experiences with Earth Rated is not only what creates loyal customers but also ambassadors of our brand. We know having loyal fans who spread the word about your products really has an impact in building trust and attracting new customers in today’s competitive market. 

We regularly have customers who reach out to us just to say how much they enjoy our products. They’ve been using our bags for 5-7-10 years and would never consider switching to a competitor. That’s definitely something we don’t take for granted, and we are always looking at how we can create more of those experiences for our customers.

Q2. Can you share an example of a strategy that effectively turned a one-time customer into a loyal advocate?

There are so many examples I could share! I’ll stick to one initiative that we’ve implemented more recently: our Surprise & Delight program. This program enables us to add one extra product to all replacement packages we send out, and not just any product; one that is personalized for each customer depending on their dog breed, lifestyle or what they told us during an interaction. 

The results we’re seeing with this program so far are amazing! We’ve seen this really impact our CSAT scores, and all customers who have mentioned the extra product they received left a 5/5 review. We’ve also seen a huge increase in customers mentioning us on social media when they receive their package with the extra product, which is really an example of ambassadorship stemming from this program.

Q3. What are the key elements that contribute to building strong customer loyalty?

For us at Earth Rated, building strong customer loyalty comes down to creating thoughtfully designed products that meet our customers’ needs, being there for them when it matters (like when they reach out with feedback),and thinking of our customers as part of a broader community of dog lovers and relating with them on that level.

Q4. What role does personalization play in increasing customer loyalty?

Personalization plays a HUGE part in increasing customer loyalty for us! Customers want to feel like they are considered on a personal level by your brand, and the brands that are able to deliver that level of care are the ones that win over customers for life. 

Personalization is one of the core elements that our customer experience team consistently delivers on. Don’t get me wrong, we do work with some elements of automation where it makes sense, but this is what allows us to put the extra focus and energy on the parts of the interaction that we can really personalize so every customer feels cared for on an individual level. And we see this consistently in our CSAT responses; customers do appreciate the care we put into each conversation.

Q5. What are some common mistakes businesses make that can erode customer loyalty?

Not showing up for their customers is one way to quickly lose loyal customers. You’d be surprised by the number of times customers say they didn’t expect an answer from us, as so many other companies don’t bother to respond to customer inquiries. 

For me, that is a basic expectation that should be met by all companies regardless of their size; if you’re not going to be there for your customers when they need it the most, that is truly a dealbreaker and will force your customers to go to your competitor.

Did you know: 72% of customers switch brands after a negative experience

Q6. How can businesses measure the effectiveness of their customer loyalty programs?

Start with more traditional measures like CSAT and NPS and then dig into the comments to understand what drives customers to leave a neutral versus a positive score and how you can replicate the experiences of your 5/5 scores for more customers. 

Some businesses might not consider this a valuable metric because it isn’t directly tied to revenue, but I’d also recommend keeping an eye out for social media mentions of your product by current customers. This can give you an indication of how many loyal customers are actually spreading the word about your brand in their own community.

Q7. What advice would you give to businesses looking to improve their customer retention rates?

If you’re not already looking at your customers’ feedback, start there! Customers will tell you what is making them leave your brand for your competitor, and if you listen closely and show how you’re improving your product (or your brand experience) to meet their needs, you will definitely increase the loyalty of your customers.

Q8. How important is employee engagement in creating a loyal customer base, and how can it be fostered? 

At Earth Rated, consumer obsession is part of the core values that each employee needs to have to be successful. It’s part of our DNA and company philosophy. Without a solid understanding of our customers and their needs, we can’t make great products and can’t deliver amazing customer experiences. 

My tip to any business struggling with this would be to have leaders set the examples. If there isn’t a consumer obsession in your business, it’s because it’s not integrated into everything the business does. And that starts with leadership.

Conclusion 

My conversation with Stephanie Ouellet has reaffirmed the immense value of customer loyalty and advocacy. Her insights show that it’s not just about having great products but also about creating a genuine connection with customers. 

Stephanie also highlights the importance of listening to customer feedback and fostering a culture of customer obsession throughout the organization. When leaders prioritize customer experience, it inspires the entire team to deliver exceptional service.

Let’s take these lessons to heart and start creating experiences that our customers will love and share. And if you’d like to learn how to deliver outstanding multi-channel support, try out Hiver. It’s free for 7 days and integrates seamlessly with your Gmail or Outlook inbox.