Offering customers a personalized experience when shopping with your brand can help them feel valued. And when customers feel valued, they're more likely to keep coming back.
The personalization principle
Personalization in consumer behavior centers around tailoring products, services, and experiences to customers' individual needs and preferences. When done right, personalization can make customers feel valued—enhancing their satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty. Customers who feel valued may recommend your business to friends and family or leave glowing reviews on social media, all of which can lead to better business outcomes.
Here are some of the ways you can use personalization to make customers feel valued.
Rewards and loyalty programs. If you operate a rewards or loyalty program, personalizing the offers to reflect a customer's purchasing history can encourage repeat business by linking what they buy to tangible rewards.
Thinking of you. Reaching out regularly with personalized communications or promotions can remind your customers how much they matter to you. Alternatively, you could contact customers after a sale to check they're happy with the product they bought or with their experience.
Listening to feedback. Inviting feedback—whether formally or informally—and acting on what you learn is another way to let customers know you appreciate them.
A personalized approach to payments
Personalizing and streamlining the payment experience can be another way to show customers you value them and their business. For starters, you'll want to be sure the payment platform you choose integrates with other platforms—like popular eCommerce platforms and shopping carts—so you can create a smooth and personalized experience. On top of that, look into:
Offering preferred payment methods. Give customers choice about how they pay. It's worth choosing a payment platform that lets you accept a range of payment methods, including cards, online payment systems like PayPal, and digital wallets.
If customers say they wish you offered a particular payment method, such as contactless or eChecks, does your current payment platform make it easy to enable that? Contactless is a fast, convenient way for customers to pay in person with their card; or using a digital wallet on their mobile device or smartwatch; while eChecks can be an ideal digital payment option for recurring transactions and bill payments.
This level of customization can allow customers to use their preferred, most trusted payment method, which can enhance their overall shopping experience.
Reducing friction in payments. Tailoring the checkout process to customer preferences can reduce friction and abandonment. For example, you could offer returning customers a streamlined 'quick pay' option based on their stored payment information.
Automating updates. When shoppers replace an expired, stolen, or lost card, they may have to update their stored payment details next time they check out, adding friction to the process. If you have a subscription-based business model, customers who don't update their details could miss out on the next delivery (and you could miss out on sales). To show how much you value customers' repeat business, look for a smart solution that automatically updates card information.*
Protecting your customers’ payment fraud
Helping protect your customers' payment methods and transactions with you against fraud can also contribute to making them feel valued. Prioritize a payment processor that enables you to store your customers' payment information in a PCI DSS-compliant manner. And consider implementing a fraud detection solution that can help you provide customers with a secure and trusted payment experience.
Personalization with Authorize.net
Authorize.net offers a range of features and capabilities to help you offer personalized payment experiences that can make your customers feel valued. Our platform lets you accept the payment types customer prefer and offers features like secure customer information management and automatic card updates, along with a powerful, easy-to-use solution for fraud management.
Ready to learn how we can help you take a personalized approach to payments that can make customers feel valued? Visit our website or call us on 1-888-323-4289.
* Currently, Visa and Mastercard cards are updated.
Disclaimer: Case studies, comparisons, statistics, research, and recommendations are provided “AS IS” and intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for operational, marketing, legal, technical, tax, financial or other advice. Authorize.net neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this document, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information. The Information contained herein is not intended as investment or legal advice, and readers are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required.