Building Brand Affinity: How to make your customers love you – and keep coming back
In a competitive market where services look similar and prices are comparable, what makes customers choose you over the competition—again and again? The answer lies in brand affinity, the emotional bond that transforms one-time customers into loyal advocates who won't even consider your competitors.
What is Brand Affinity?
"Brand affinity"? What is it – exactly? And why is it essential to your field service company?
Simply put, brand affinity refers to the emotional connection your customers have with your company – the tie that keeps them coming back, regardless of what your competitors do, because they identify with and trust your brand. And it's essential to your business.
Our partners at WorkWave recently hosted a webinar on this exact topic. Industry experts Heather McLeod, Chief Marketing Officer at Authority Brands; Daniel O'Donnal, Chief Sales Officer and Partner at Saela; and Chris Brasher, Vice President of Product Marketing at WorkWave, talked about creating a customer experience that results in consumers fighting for your brand and values – and the steps you can take to make it happen. We highly recommend watching the entire conversation for yourself, but here are a few key takeaways:
Key Insights for Field Service Companies
Four Critical Takeaways
- The Experience Challenge: One key challenge for field service businesses is that you don't have a tangible product your customers can hold in their hands – their opinion of your company is based entirely on the experience you provide.
- Employees Are Your Brand: They are the primary gateway to a positive customer experience. They are interacting with your customers at their homes, so it's especially important that they feel comfortable, respected, and satisfied with their service. For your customers, your employees ARE the brand experience.
- Incentivize Excellence: Invest in your team and provide them with reasons not just to stay with you, but to do an excellent job every time. For example, incentives for obtaining a positive Google review mentioning the company by name.
- The Retention Cycle: The better you treat your employees, the longer they will stick around. In the long run, experienced employees help you elevate your overall service level. Higher service levels will create a better experience for your customers. As your employees stay with you, so will your customers.
Taking Action on Brand Affinity
What else can you do to foster brand affinity and keep your customers happy, loyal, and returning year after year? Check out the rest of the webinar to see what our experts had to say.
Want to learn more? Be sure to register for the rest of WorkWave's Beyond Service Webinar series for more interesting, informative sessions from the brightest minds in field service! Our next session is scheduled for July.
Nobody likes to hear that prices are going up—especially when it’s a product or service they rely on. But price increases are sometimes unavoidable, and knowing how to communicate them effectively can make all the difference in customer retention.
