10 tips for successful post-purchase communication

Good communication also improves online shopping."Thank you for your order!" and "Your order has been dispatched". Online customers don't get to hear much more from the retailer of their choice after they have clicked on the "Order now" button. Yet post-purchase communication in particular offers considerable potential to inspire customers and motivate them to make more purchases.market studies show that customers are extremely receptive to emails immediately after making a purchase: The open rates of messages informing customers about the current processing status of their order are over 80 percent, according to analyses of existing customers' e-mail campaigns by the Munich-based specialist for mail order communication, parcelLab. 75 percent of openers are persuaded to return to the store by such emails and four percent of them buy from the provider again, which is reason enough to give more importance to post-purchase communication in the marketing strategy. The professionals at parcelLab have put together ten tips.1. do not leave the contact with the customer to your logistics providerA customer's customer journey does not end with the thank you page. After clicking on the order button, the anticipation of the ordered product is extremely high. This is a good opportunity to draw attention to the tracking feature in your app, for example, and secure a spot on the user's smartphone screen. Customer loyalty programs can also be promoted well now.2. focus on relevant and personalized contentCustomers want to be kept happy after placing their order. Relevant status updates such as shipping confirmation, notification of delays, delivery announcement, delivery confirmation and returns processing are a must for every retailer. The following applies: communicate in customer language and not in logistics jargon. Hardly any customer will understand what it means if a parcel has been sorted in hub A and is now being transported to hub B.3. simplify delivery with useful additional informationThe faster and easier it is for customers to receive their parcel, the more satisfied they are. Therefore, look through the customer's eyes and consider what additional information you can provide to help them. For example, if a customer has selected store collection, you can inform them of the store's opening hours and tell them after how many days of storage time the return will be initiated. If they want to collect the order from a parcel store, Google Maps navigation may help.4. avoid bureaucratic officialese"You are obliged to collect your order from the store within six working days." It is not uncommon for a letter from the tax office to be worded in a friendlier way than a shipping confirmation email from a retailer. Write your emails actively instead of passively, avoid using officialese and present yourself as customer-oriented and courteous in your emails as you do in the store.5. surprise your customer with storytelling and tipsOn average, customers wait two days for their order to be delivered. You can shorten the waiting time and increase their anticipation of the product with customized content. For example, if someone has ordered a bicycle, surprise them with tour suggestions in their region. If a recipient is waiting for a parcel with special foods, you could provide them with suitable recipes. If you manage to play out existing content at exactly the right time, you will ensure a positive shopping experience and increase the chance that customers will place repeat orders and order larger shopping baskets.6 Communicate your premium customer serviceSomething can go wrong with any purchase. But even in this situation, retailers have the opportunity to quickly turn negative experiences into positive ones. Communicate your premium customer service prominently in your post-purchase communication and inform customers about FAQ pages, contact information and live chat options.7. get customer feedbackCustomer satisfaction should be a top priority for every retailer. And retailers must also let their customers know this. Give the customer time to use and test the product and ask them to provide feedback after a reasonable period of time. Intensify their efforts by offering them a discount on their next purchase, for example. This also promotes customer loyalty at the same time.8. use the opportunity for cross-selling and upsellingFor example, if a customer has just bought a bike, it may make sense to offer them additional products such as bike helmets or bike lights so that they can use their bike safely. Package the sales-promoting measures in little stories again. For example, if the customer has just taken delivery of their new bike, you could send them assembly instructions by email and point out important assembly details - and offer them a helmet and lights at the same time.9. build customer loyaltyEven after the purchase, contact with the customer should not be broken off. Added value through tips and content ensure that the customer remembers the retailer the next time they make a purchase.10. do not rely on e-mails aloneThe majority of post-purchase communication nowadays takes place via email. With the increasing penetration of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or your own company app, it could make sense to offer other communication channels in the future.ConclusionPost-purchase communication is not rocket science. If you can define the relevant status updates in the mailing process and put on the customer's glasses, you will quickly find suitable content to inspire customers - and thus retain them.