What happens after the order is sent? For many online retailers, contact with customers breaks off and this is then taken over by shipping service providers, such as DHL, Hermes or DPD. Customers are then contacted by the logistics provider to be informed about the whereabouts of their package. From this point on, there is radio silence on the part of the retailer.
We believe that many companies are missing a great opportunity to increase their repurchase rate and customer loyalty. A positive customer experience – even after the purchase – can turn a one-time buyer into a loyal repeat customer.
Here are the five most important post-purchase customer touchpoints that retailers should use to offer their customers an all-around positive shopping experience and bring them back to the online store.
1. order confirmation
A personal message after sending the order and in the branding of the online store is essential. Legally, the dispatch of an order confirmation is also mandatory and should be used by the retailer to promote its own brand. At best, this e-mail should again list what the customer has purchased and attach important product information. Retailers should additionally use the order confirmation to communicate the expected delivery time or possible delays in advance. This reduces the number of shipping-related customer service inquiries (WISMO), because the customer already knows in advance when he can roughly expect his package.
2. Track & Trace
Let’s face it, customers want to know when their package will arrive. So merchants need to share this information with their orderers as soon as possible. parcelLab recommends using a track and trace page that gives customers anytime as well as instant access to the (live) status and location of their order.
3. Returns communication
We recommend that merchants keep their customers informed about the progress of their return to reduce the number of customer service inquiries. Sending a return confirmation keeps the customer as relaxed as possible during this otherwise stressful process. Additionally, this is a great way to exceed customer expectations and increase the rate of repeat customers.
4. Evaluation Prompt
The product was delivered without any major incidents? Perfect! Then why don’t retailers simply ask their customers for feedback to ensure they received an equally smooth shopping experience? When online stores add a simple rating survey to their delivery announcement, customers have the opportunity to provide feedback quickly and conveniently. The results that retailers receive from this can be used to calculate an NPS (Net Promoter Score), which can show the retailer where there is still potential for optimization and in which areas the store is already doing a good job.
5. Follow-up e-mail
To encourage the customer to make another purchase from the online store (and another, another…), merchants should consider giving them an incentive. This could be a discount or a free product trial. This will give customers extra motivation to return to the stores instead of shopping at the competition next time. For example, our customer Lidl managed to bring 85 percent of customers back to the online store again.
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Ready to improve the customer experience?
In summary, retailers should make sure to communicate with their customers at every stage of the customer journey itself. Therefore, they should also look for opportunities to stay in touch with them at all times and keep engagement as high as possible. Seamless customer communication from order to shipping to returns can bring shoppers right back into the store and reduce customer service inquiries.
We help companies improve their communication and turn customers into loyal brand ambassadors.
Our customers report a repurchase rate of up to 90 percent and an increase in customer satisfaction of up to 55 percent. Contact us now to find out how you can improve your customer experience.
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