Nothing beats the satisfaction of completing a transaction on a new – and ideally more costly – product. Whether it’s a beautiful convertible or cutting-edge marketing software, it’s a comfort to be able to slap oneself on the back for a job well done.
Nothing is more infuriating than facing the dreaded aftermath of a sale when a consumer has second thoughts and believes the purchase was a mistake. Suddenly, the connection you’ve been cultivating for months begins to crumble. You were so certain that the consumer believed the transaction would help their personal or professional lives. Nonetheless, that opinion has flipped 180 degrees.
Yep. Your client is experiencing buyer’s remorse.
How Is Buyer’s Remorse Defined?
Buyer’s remorse is a sense of regret associated with making a large – and often costly – purchase. This remorse is often accompanied by panic or worry, prompting the consumer to promptly return the item.
Naturally, as a customer support representative scrambling to keep their business – and career – afloat, buyer’s remorse should be your worst fear. However, it is not simply about a customer’s monetary worth. You really care about your consumers and want them to enjoy their new items. And, since you care about your business and believe in its goods and services, you want the rest of the world to do the same.
You understand that these purchases will provide you with a lot of bang for your money. Now, all that remains is for you to communicate this to your consumers. After all, buyer’s regret often begins to manifest itself a few days after a purchase. Therefore, by following the methods below, you may reduce the likelihood of your consumers experiencing buyer’s regret.
Six Simple Steps to Avoid Buyer’s Remorse
Create value in advance
Buyers want to know that you value them as individuals, not just as a means to a goal. Ascertain that you’ve established a strong basis for your partnership that extends beyond that one buy. This is how you may ensure a long-term client relationship with a high customer lifetime value.
When a consumer believes that you are looking out for their best interests, a customer connection blossoms. This entails developing a connection based on mutually agreed-upon advantages specified in your offers and/or contracts. Make a commitment to them and maintain it. This reduces the likelihood that individuals may experience post-purchase regret.
Establish expectations
Immediately after their purchase, inform the consumer – orally and in writing – of the services they may anticipate from you and your organisation. Provide a paper outlining how their account will be managed, how invoicing will function, and the process’s next phases. Then adhere to it.
The critical point is to avoid instilling false hope in the buyer. Inform them that the product will not resolve all of their issues if it will not. Rather than that, emphasise how the product can and will enhance their life. If the buyer leaves the purchase confident in the ways in which the product will benefit them, the likelihood of them being disappointed is significantly reduced.
Include a letter of appreciation
You’ve almost certainly already conveyed your gratitude via phone or in person. That, however, is insufficient. A crafted thank you note leaves a lasting effect on a consumer. Therefore, send them one as soon as possible.
Express your gratitude for their choosing to entrust you and your firm with this transaction in the message. That message should be written by hand, rather than typed and sent. Sending a physical thank you letter makes a difference since few individuals – notably businesses – do it nowadays; it’ll be a pleasant surprise and reassure the consumer about their purchase.
Within 24 hours, provide contact details
The majority of clients anticipate that after they provide their payment card information and get the purchase submission email, the firm will cease to care about them. After all, you got what you want, correct? Wrong.
Assure your consumers that you are still available to them by using the finest onboarding techniques available. In a welcome email, provide them with a list of all the individuals who will be working on their account. Provide direct phone numbers, email addresses, mobile phone numbers, as well as links to any relevant blogs and social media profiles. Guarantee that someone will always contact them within a certain time frame if they have a problem and that someone will work closely with them to assist them in mastering the product. They’ll never feel alone, and once they’ve mastered their product, it’s less likely they’ll abandon it.
Establish user groups
Introduce the consumer to important members of your company’s user groups. They’ll like communicating with other customers who use the same or comparable items as they do. User groups offer an unmatched sense of community. Customers may exchange tips and techniques. Additionally, hearing from other customers who have had positive experiences with your organisation and goods helps reassure your new consumer that they made the right decision.
Introduce the consumer to important members of your company’s user groups. They’ll like communicating with other customers who use the same or comparable items as they do. User groups offer an unmatched sense of community. Customers may exchange tips and techniques. Additionally, hearing from other customers who have had positive experiences with your organisation and goods helps reassure your new consumer that they made the right decision.
Spread the joy
You’re probably rather connected to this consumer at this point. You’ve talked them through their concerns, elicited all of the justifications for their purchase, and encouraged them as they become familiar with their new product. However, it is more efficient and successful for your business if you communicate that knowledge to your employees.
Create a master customer profile that includes all important information — phone numbers, emails, contracts, and billing information, for example — and ensure that it is readily available to any employees who will be working on the account. Respond to any inquiries and ensure that your colleagues are aware of your knowledge of the new customer’s aims and expectations. This will guarantee that the client gets a consistent and well-rounded experience with each person with whom they deal.
Customer attrition and buyer’s regret are inextricably linked. Even if your consumer does not express instant sorrow, it is prudent to keep these recommendations in mind. You never know when regrets may strike, so be vigilant for warning signals and handle them as soon as possible.
