Expert tips on customer retention

There’s no shortage of information out there on how to acquire new customers — and why should there be? It takes a lot of knowledge and skill to find the perfect customer and convince them that you’re the best brand to fulfill their needs.

But what happens after that? What goes into the necessary upkeep of retaining customers?

We spoke with seven marketing experts on what it takes to maintain strong customer relationships. 

Here’s what they said: 

Expert advice on customer retention

1. “Embrace automation to retain customers ... Leverage technology, for instance, to interact with customers and address their concerns. You can also use it to create a personalized customer experience and gather feedback. These are made possible by using a chatbot, a customer relationship management (CRM) software and satisfaction surveys, respectively." - Ryan Stewart, founder of Webris

2. "In 2022 customers expect a personalized experience — whether it’s by displaying targeted information on their web journey or with tailored emails or direct mail. Any communications with them should be relevant to them personally, and if they feel they are part of a ‘blanket’ campaign they may not engage. Personalization should be incorporated wherever possible, and this will not only build a level of trust; it will have a direct impact on your customer retention. Ensure content and offers are as suitable as possible for their market, location, interests and requirements, and don’t forget to use the appropriate language or currency if required. " - Chloe Addis, Head of Marketing at Headley Media

3. “To retain customers and develop loyalty, companies should focus on providing excellent service in each and every interaction. For some businesses, that might mean being as speedy as possible. For others, this might mean taking a high-touch customer service approach to exceed the client’s expectations. Understanding the customer’s unique needs and ensuring they walk away satisfied from every interaction creates a sense of loyalty and also fosters an environment where you have the best possible referrals: from customers themselves.” - Carlos Castelán, Managing Director of The Navio Group 

4. “What does it take to retain customers? High-quality customer service, knowledge and expertise that the customer doesn't have, clear communications and expectations, transparency and trust, staying on top of changes and industry trends, and building unbreakable relationships.” - Jack Salmon, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Circulate Digital 

5. “Determine what frustrations your customers have about doing business with your organization (and there are frustrating elements within every organization) and then actively work to solve or alleviate those issues. The organizations that work to eliminate customer frustrations truly stand out in a very competitive marketplace.” - Dennis Snow, President at Snow & Associates, Inc.

6. “Customer retention starts from within, which means you must resolve deficiencies within your company, not with your customers. Your customer retention strategy cannot succeed unless silos are eliminated, because they are at the heart of your customers' satisfaction and success. Once you've identified the need to cast out silos within each department, you can determine where such silos exist. After that, you can work on finding strategies and getting rid of them.” - Cayla Thurman, Customer Service Manager at Rize Reviews

7. “Build a brand customers can rely on. Consumers are more discerning than ever, and they want to support brands they can trust to give them the quality they expect. The better you build your brand to engage with your customers, the more they will repay with brand loyalty.“  - Michael Ayjian, Co-founder and Executive Producer of 7 Wonders Cinema

Developing a strong customer retention system is just as important as the time you’ve spent creating strategies for acquiring new customers. The expert tips above are meant to provide you with guidance on how to continue impressing customers after you’ve attracted them.