If you’re launching a subscription service, congratulations: you’re embracing the business model of the future. By tying a company’s success to its ability to preserve its relationships with customers and the value of their lifetime revenue streams, the subscription model can provide a strong incentive for continued product and service excellence.
Younger consumers often prefer the subscription model because it costs less upfront. Many Millennials, for example, are saddled with high student loan payments and they often simply can’t afford a lump payment up front, as with a traditional vehicle purchase. The good news is that the subscription model can apply to nearly anything.
“Many people still think that the concept of a subscription is confined to newspapers and magazines. But today, almost any business can create a subscription model,” wrote Shep Hyken for Fortune. “Everything from automobiles to Xerox copiers and everything in between – including razor blades, wine, dog food, dishwashing detergent and more – can be turned into a subscription.”
Of course, you actually have to provide the product and service excellence. Without customer loyalty, it’s unlikely that your subscription-based business will go very far. So what are some of the ways you can build loyalty into your business model?
Offer Customers More Than They Expect
Amazon Prime members, for example, often join the program to get free two-day shipping. Once they’ve joined, however, they tend to stay because of all the extra perks they get, such as free Kindle books, streaming video content and discounts at Whole Foods. This has been Amazon’s biggest strategy in building loyalty to the Prime program.
Ensure Your Customers Trust You
Be sure your shipping is rock-solid so customers are getting their orders when you say they will. Ensure your web site or your mobile app is rock solid, so customers aren’t encountering outages or errors. Build their trust by putting a generous return policy in place.
Provide Excellent Customer Care
Nothing sours customer loyalty quicker than a poor customer experience. If you’re unsure of the quality of customer care you provide, or you feel it’s uneven, it’s time to completely redo your customer service strategy. Unhappy customers don’t return, and there’s more to it than that: they share their negative experiences on social media.
One way to ensure you’re providing the best possible customer care is by using a subscription management platform that enables it. Cloud-based subscription management platforms such as Subscription DNA allow you to extensively communicate with your subscriber base so you can build loyalty and trust. Our communication tools allow you to easily engage in drip marketing, communications, and membership management.
Visit our web site or call 513-574-9800 to discuss your subscription business’ billing and management needs today!