In an increasingly competitive and digitalized global economy, strengthening relationships with customers becomes 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 industry. In general, maintaining is often more difficult than acquiring.
Marcos dos Santos, founder of theRed WineThe company offers sensory experiences tailored to different moments for clients, such as leadership training, internal engagement campaigns, or end-of-cycle events, highlighting the main benefits of strengthening the relationship with customers:
Loyalty 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 trust established and the quality delivered throughout the customer's journey within a company, they build a relationship with the business that goes beyond the rational or numerical aspect, also being gained in the emotional and affective sphere. A loyal customer can still refer the company to others, indirectly contributing to increased profit.
2. Retention cost can be lower than acquisition cost
Winning a new client can cost more than retaining an existing one. The time and resources spent on prospecting and convincing until the decision to buy are considerably greater than those required to deliver something the company is already accustomed to providing as a product or service. Going further, investing in relationships can even generate a better return on investment (ROI).
Good relationships generate good feedbacks
Customers who feel valued are more open to giving honest and constructive feedback. This helps identify failures, improve products or services, and innovate based on real needs. Furthermore, a customer will truly feel welcomed when they have issues with the business if they know there is a solid and lasting relationship, even if it means the company itself giving them feedback or unpleasant news.
4. Creating an emotional bond with the brand
Strong relationships generate emotional connection, and this directly influences purchasing decisions. People tend to buy from brands with which they feel understood and valued, and this extends to legal entities. There is no doubt that, when choosing a supplier, the decision-maker within an organization will prioritize companies with which they have already had or have a good experience and satisfactory after-sales service.
5. Greater error tolerance
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. Errors can occur at various stages of the customer relationship, but what makes the difference is how they will react to the mistake. A client with a good relationship will not mind the failure as much and is more likely to move forward when seeking joint solutions to overcome the situation.
"Loyalty is also about building a network of partners who trust your proposal, provide valuable insights, and become active promoters of the brand. With actions in this direction, companies can grow sustainably, gaining scale and genuine reputation in the corporate market. It's not just about selling a product or service, but about strengthening relationships with a long-term focus and building reputation among other potential clients," says Marcos.
