In an increasingly competitive and digitalized global economy, strengthening customer relationships has become a strategic effort for any business. For financial, operational, and even reputational reasons, this task has become as important as expanding the customer base, reinforcing the growing need to balance initiatives between acquisition and retention, regardless of the sector. Generally speaking, retaining is often harder than acquiring.
Marcos dos Santos, founder of Vinho Tinta, a company that offers sensory experiences tailored to different customer moments, such as leadership training, internal engagement campaigns, or end-of-cycle events, listed the main benefits of strengthening customer relationships:
1. Retention tends to generate sustainable profit
Loyal customers tend to buy more frequently, spend more over time, and be less sensitive to price increases. Through the established trust and quality delivered throughout the customer journey, they build a relationship with the business that goes beyond rational or numerical aspects, also being won over emotionally. A loyal customer may even refer the company to others, indirectly contributing to increased profit.
2. Retention costs may be lower than acquisition costs
Acquiring a new customer can cost more than retaining an existing one. The time and resources spent on prospecting and convincing until the purchase decision are considerably higher than delivering something the company is already accustomed to providing. Going further, investing in relationships can even yield a better return on investment (ROI).
3. Good relationships generate good feedback
Customers who feel valued are more open to providing honest and constructive feedback. This helps identify flaws, improve products or services, and innovate based on real needs. Moreover, a customer will feel truly welcomed when facing issues if they know a solid and lasting relationship exists, even if the company needs to deliver unpleasant feedback or news.
4. Creating emotional bonds with the brand
Strong relationships generate emotional connections, which directly influence purchasing decisions. People tend to buy from brands they feel understood and valued by, and this extends to businesses. There is no doubt that, when choosing a supplier, decision-makers within an organization will prioritize companies with which they’ve had positive experiences and satisfactory post-sale support.
5. Greater tolerance for mistakes
A customer with a good relationship with the company tends to be more understanding of occasional failures, giving the company a second chance—something rare with new customers. Mistakes can happen at various stages of the customer relationship, but what matters is how they react. A well-related customer will not be overly concerned with the failure and is more likely to work toward joint solutions.
“Retaining customers also means building a network of partners who trust your proposal, provide valuable insights, and become active brand advocates. With such actions, companies can grow sustainably, gaining scale and genuine reputation in the corporate market. It’s not just about selling a product or service but strengthening relationships with a long-term focus and reputational building for potential future clients,” says Marcos.
