Retain Customers’ Attention Through The Power of Choice

James Hotson |

Human attention spans are decreasing by 88% each year, making it harder than ever to obtain and keep customers’ attention. To keep up with the constant digital transformation, marketing departments are experimenting with new tactics and spending large sums of money to spark consumer interest and acquire new customers. Unfortunately, with many businesses, the effort on engagement stops there and they are losing customers quicker than they acquired them.

While marketing is often what captures customers’ attention, it is the experience that keeps them coming back for more. In fact, customer experiences are so impactful that they can even serve as a method of attracting customers in addition to retaining them. 55% of consumers become a customer of a company because of their reputation for delivering great customer service.

I, along with a panel of top industry leaders, will be diving further into how CX is the ultimate differentiator at Gorgias’ upcoming DTCx Virtual Summit. But for now, I’ll be answering the question that is (or should be!) top of mind…

How can your business not waste the opportunity of having your customers’ attention? By giving them the freedom to choose how they engage with you. When a customer feels in control of their experience, they’re happier with the end result which is more likely to boost their CLTV.

When it comes to giving your customers the power to choose, here are some of my top tips.

4 Ways To Retain Customers' Attention

Provide support across all channels

Minimizing methods of communication might seem like a way to keep things simple, but what it really does is dictate how customers are able to get in touch with your brand. What is the point of giving customers the power to choose if they don’t have options to choose from?

Imagine going to your favorite Italian restaurant and seeing a robust menu, featuring a Cacio e Pepe that has you drooling, only to be told that the only thing you can actually only order is the spaghetti and meatballs.

It may sound ridiculous, but that's essentially what happens when you force your customers down a chat-only path when they desperately just want to send an email.

Be where your customers want you to be

Many companies are only thinking about the communication channels they want to offer - not the channels their customers want to be using. If your customers are unable to reach you in a way that works for them, they will become more susceptible to churn.

While no one wants to get stuck in analysis paralysis, knowing what you want isn’t available is far worse than having too many options. Experiences should be cross-device, cross-channel, and consistent. In other words; don’t be a phone book in the digital era!

Unify your systems

Reduce friction for both customers and your support staff by coordinating your systems. It will make each service interaction quick and seamless, reducing the risk of losing your customers’ attention.

Fragmented systems = broken customer experiences. Being unable to connect all of your systems not only causes your customers frustration but will cause you to lose out on extremely valuable business insights that can drive your business forward. We believe that customer service is the new sales and marketing, and having a tech stack that turns your CX org from a cost center to a revenue driver just makes sense.

Deliver consistently exceptional service at scale

Make it a priority to deliver consistent, personalized, and quick service across every support channel. Customers will be more likely to stick with your business if they know that they’ll get great service no matter how or when they choose to contact you.

This isn’t just about empathy and training of your human agents, either. Trust us, your agents, CX leaders, and executives will take notice.

If you’d like to hear me speak more about the Customers Freedom to Choose, catch me on stage at the Gorgias DTCx Virtual Summit July 15th.

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