How many times have you come off a phone call, left a shop, or finished reading an email, and thought ‘Wow! What great customer service!’?

Not many, I’d guess.

Real noteworthy service has unfortunately become the exception rather than the norm. That’s why it can make all the difference in highly competitive markets. In fact, the U.S Chamber of Commerce estimates that 68% of customers who leave a company do so because they feel undervalued.

Clearly, the way you treat your customers has a huge bearing on the loyalty they show to your business in the long term.

Sadly, many companies forget this, especially during difficult economic times. When faced with a recession, businesses tend to prioritise sales over customer service, regarding their sales department as the arm of the business that brings in revenue, while customer service is seen as non-profit making, and therefore expendable.

The problem with this approach is that it ignores the vital role that customer service plays in generating continued consumer loyalty, and, as a result, revenue.

Concentrating on sales may bring in more revenue in the short term, but if you lack the resources to service these new customers correctly, they probably won’t stay with you for very long. Furthermore, existing customers may feel undervalued and subsequently move to your competitors, forcing you to put even more costs and resources into customer acquisition to replace them.

Business research company Gartner estimates that it’s around five times as expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain an existing one, so it makes clear financial sense to concentrate your efforts on keeping the customers you already have. Happy customers also provide an invaluable asset in promoting your business through word of mouth, helping you increase revenue without increasing your acquisition costs.

Retaining customers does not have to be an expensive process, and there are several simple methods you can employ to keep customers happy and generate long-term loyalty.

Firstly, don’t make claims about your product that you can’t back up. You will only serve to heighten expectations to a level that you cannot service, resulting in your customers feeling frustrated and disillusioned. Investing in the resources to ensure complaints or questions are quickly resolved is also hugely important. The longer it takes you to answer a customer’s query, the longer you give them to find an alternate company to do business with.

Simple acts like sending your existing customers rewards or incentives to shop with you again is a great way of generating sales and increasing loyalty. This can be done through regular email communication, creating another touch-point with your customers. Asking for feedback is also a great way to show your customers that their opinions matter to your business, and that you’re listening to their concerns. It also allows you to see your business through their eyes, so you can examine where your company is meeting expectations, and where it has potential to grow in the future.

First published in The Argus, 09/10/10

The Rocket Marketing Group have created a brand new bespoke membership programme exclusively for sit-up channels – The Privilege Savings Club.

The club has been fully branded in line with the look and feel of sit-up’s home shopping channels, and has been designed specifically for their viewers.

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Companies have always looked to instil loyalty in their customers. It’s an invaluable way of increasing customer retention, generating incremental revenue and growing a business.

Loyalty can be encouraged through a variety of methods, including e-marketing, offering consumer rewards and demonstrating excellent customer service. But perhaps the most effective way of forging a lasting relationship with your customers is by asking for, and acting on, their feedback.

With this in mind, The Rocket Marketing Group present their 5 Top Tips for generating and utilising customer feedback. (more…)

Email marketing has become one of the primary methods of communication for companies looking to generate incremental revenue from new and existing customers.

The strengths of email as a marketing tool lie in its ubiquity, speed and economy, and when used correctly it can be an invaluable tool to generate revenue, drive customer retention and encourage repeat business.

However, with so many companies trying to capture the public’s attention, the competition for click-throughs is fierce, and there are important considerations to keep in mind when starting an email marketing campaign.

With this in mind, The Rocket Marketing Group present a guide to the dos and don’ts of email marketing.

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The Rocket Marketing Group have filed end of year results for 2009 showing an impressive 35% increase in turnover from £3.7m in 2008, to over £5m.

In a further year of terrific growth, Rocket’s pre-tax profits have also increased by 55%, proving that Rocket’s commitment to efficiency and business processes is reaping rewards.

Rocket has worked hard to expand on its success over the last three years, and has seen the results of new revenue partnerships with Living TV, Flying Brands and iSUBSCRiBE, as well as securing a further long-term deal with sit-up channels.  (more…)

With VAT set to rise to 20% in 2011, the retail sector will welcome the news that online sales jumped by 22% in May, compared to 2009 levels.

The online market has become a key sector for businesses, in part due to the financial limitations imposed by the recession. Companies have found marketing and selling their products online to be a very cost effective way of generating revenue and attracting customers, with the latest figures showing that shoppers spent £4.5bn online during May alone.

The research, conducted by the International Media Retail Group (IMRG) found that companies who utilised a range of sales channels had the most success. For example, retailers with both physical stores and online facilities saw year-on-year sales rise by 28%, compared with a rise of just 1% for online-only retailers. (more…)

Brands have been queuing up to align themselves to the World Cup, as spending on marketing campaigns looks set to top over £1bn by the end of the tournament.

But is this money well spent? While promotional tie-ins have long since provided a golden opportunity for advertisers to tap into the public’s interest, it seems companies are ignoring basic marketing principles in their haste to capitalise on the tournament.

With this in mind, The Rocket Marketing Group present three examples of common ‘Own Goals’ to avoid when promoting your product during the World Cup. (more…)

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Research from comparison website Moneysupermarket.com has revealed that restaurant vouchers are now the most popular of all vouchers claimed online, with diners saving an estimated £3bn in the last year alone.

The number of people in the UK eating out using vouchers has increased by 30% in the last year, with more and more restaurants offering discounts online and through loyalty clubs and reward programmes. With the number of people eating out once a month or more also increasing by 11%, it appears that the stigma of using a voucher to help pay for a meal may be a thing of the past. (more…)

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While it’s clear that the airlines have lost huge amounts of money (around £1.1bn according to the International Air Transport Association), the cost to British tourism may yet prove to be negligible.

In fact, many industry experts believe the UK’s visitor economy may actually benefit in the long term, as the delays, cost, and discomfort suffered by stranded holiday makers may cause people to think twice about holidaying abroad in the future. (more…)

Businesses throughout the UK are reaping the rewards of promoting from within, rather than looking to external candidates to fill roles.

The Rocket Marketing Group are a Brighton-based company that specialise in creating loyalty and membership programmes, sales promotions and consumer rewards. The company’s dedication to developing a culture of employee development that emphasises training, support and internal promotion has led to a substantial growth in incremental revenue over the last three years. (more…)