Protecting customer loyalty

ILLUSTRATION: LEO MICHAEL

An online study commissioned in May by public relations agency MWWPR surveyed 1,000 consumers across the United States about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their loyalty to brands and companies:

⦁ Eighty-four percent report how companies prioritize their employees’ welfare during the pandemic is an important factor on what they buy. Do your customers see your technicians in proper personal protective equipment? Is your team consistently explaining what your company has done and is doing to keep customers and employees safe?

⦁ Eighty-three percent plan to base future purchasing decisions on the actions of brand leaders. Is your leadership visible in your social media efforts, for example, reiterating company values and showing how your team cares about customers?

⦁ Eighty-one percent say businesses have a responsibility to help solve social or policy issues. Perhaps the caveat to that would be their perception of how a given company handles employee safety and various social issues. If you or your company is socially involved — perhaps you’re running for government office, or your company does a lot of charity work, for example — are customers aware of your efforts to try to create a better world?

Keeping customers happy is more important than ever. Read more pro tips and helpful tools on how to head off customer cancellations caused by the pandemic here, “Corralling accounts: 8 tips for avoiding cancellations.”