Communicating to customers in the right way, at the right time, with the right messages, is more important than ever. With the bar being constantly raised by Amazon and other brand leaders, customer expectations for transactions and interactions with the organizations they are doing business with are rising, along with their use of new channels and payment methods. Take Venmo, for example. It’s a free digital wallet that lets people make and share payments with each other–and the hot new mobile app among teenagers and young adults, my kids included.
New communications and payment technologies, tools and approaches can help you build relationships to achieve your goals, from persuading vacation owners to upgrade their timeshare to making it easier for more customers to pay their bills on time. Here are some guidelines for making your communications more seamless, meaningful and successful in 2018:
Treat customers like individuals you know
The more you customize and personalize customer communications, the better response you will get. Instead of promoting a special rate for home equity lines on all mortgage bills, target those who have equity to tap and haven’t already arranged for an equity line. Don’t include notices of educational seminars about Medicare in patient billing statements for millennials.
Let customers choose how to communicate and pay
Customizing both the messaging and outreach channels are key to greater engagement. As we noted in a recent blog post, Paper or Digital Customer Communications: Yes, Please, nearly everyone, including 88% of those aged 18 to 24, believe they should have the right to choose how they receive communications, print or electronic, from financial organizations and service providers. Providing options and then managing communications based on these preferences will increase customer satisfaction.
Move to mobile communications
Paper-based, mailed customer correspondence is not going away. Still, the trend to digital communications and payments cannot be ignored, especially when it comes to all things mobile. Already, 144 million smartphone wallet-using subscribers receive 12 billion bills annually directly to their smartphones, according to Walletron, and 55% of smartphone users want to make mobile payments via credit card.
To cater to growing consumer interest in mobile, Nordis Technologies is rolling out new products and channels that give companies important new communications and payment choices for their customers. First is ExpressoWallet, a new way to deliver mobile statements or virtual membership cards directly into the digital wallet applications installed on virtually all modern smartphones. Next up is SMS/text messaging within Expresso, which makes it a snap to send everything from payment alerts and HOA voting reminders to special offers.
We will be telling you more about these customer communications and payment capabilities in the coming months, as well as other additions to our product suite including more automation and real-time reporting/tracking for certified mail processed through Expresso.
As always, our goal is to deliver technology-enabled solutions, supported by excellent customer service, that make you more successful. Customer communications management offers a direct path to reaching and influencing customers, and we are here to help make 2018 a banner year for you and your customers.
Please get in touch.
Ronnie
