Consumer touchpoints are all the points at which brands touch consumers’ lives during their relationship. This is the starting point for all CRM – a brand needs to speak with one voice across all of these touchpoints and deliver a rewarding experience every time it interacts with its customers. Touchpoints can be brand initiated (for example, a brand sending an email newsletter) or customer initiated (for example, the customer making a purchase in a store).
People don’t start out as customers; they begin as prospects – people who merely view a business’s offering. Once a prospect has expressed interest, CRM can help to convert them into a customer. Some people will always shop on price – they need to be converted to loyal customers. Here brand perception and service are often the differentiators. Consider the prospect who walks into a car dealership and is given outstanding service. In this case, CRM – in the form of an aware and
trained sales force – can help turn a prospect into a customer.
A consumer touchpoint can be as simple as a print or banner ad. It can also be as multifaceted as a conversation between a call centre agent and a customer. It can be a timely tweet, or an outbound email giving the customer details about their account. Even statements and bills are touchpoints – and need to be managed carefully to ensure that the brand continues its relationship with the customer
successfully.
Customer touchpoints can generally be divided into three spheres or phases.Pre-purchase or pre-usage covers the various ways brands and prospects interact before the prospect decides to conduct business with a company. The brand’s goals here are to:
• Gain customers
• Heighten brand awareness
• Shape brand perceptions – to highlight the benefits it offers over competitors
• Indicate how the brand provides value and fulfils the needs and wants of
consumers
• Educate consumers about products and services
Purchase or usagecovers the touchpoints at which the customer decides to purchase a product, use a service or convert according to set criteria, and initiates the brand-customer relationship. The key goals are to:
• Instil confidence
• Deliver value
• Reinforce the purchase decision
• Heighten brand perceptions
Post-purchase or usagecovers all the post-sale interactions between the brand and customer. Now, the brand wants to:
• Develop a relationship
• Maximise the customer experience
• Deliver on the brand promise
• Increase brand loyalty
• Remain top of mind
• Invite repeat purchases
