The countless benefits of relationship marketing are not immediately visible, but research suggests that a positive customer experience will lead to more sales, either directly or indirectly.
Most businesses focus on transactions as a measure of success. In a transactional model, your business is dependent on a continuous flow of leads coming in. Marketing generates leads and hands them off to sales. Sales converts them to customers, and if the need arises, hands them off to support.
The sales team is relying on math to meet its sales goals. In order to achieve X sales goal, they must generate Y number of leads. In each stage of the process, they account for Z amount of drop off.
But are you accounting for the experience that’s being given to each of those leads? Are you creating a process by which each individual buyer is treated with the same, exceptional level of service and support?
The number of transactions alone doesn’t mean you’re delivering an exceptional customer experience. And if your customers aren’t happy, they won’t come back to do business with you again. (more…)
