How to enhance customer experience & foster customer loyalty with Rakuten Viber

In today's business world, customer experience and loyalty are pivotal in ensuring long-term success. As businesses recognize the profound impact of retaining existing customers versus acquiring new ones, the focus has shifted to enhancing customer experiences and nurturing lasting relationships. It is estimated that it can cost up to five times more to attract new customers than to keep existing ones, making it clear that investment in customer satisfaction and loyalty is not just beneficial but essential. 

The benefits are manifold:

• Increased customer retention: A superior customer experience ensures that customers are satisfied, reducing the likelihood of them switching to competitors.
• Higher customer lifetime value: Loyal customers are more likely to make repeated purchases and spend more over time.
• Positive word of mouth: Happy customers are your best advocates. Their satisfaction drives recommendations and organic growth.
• Enhanced brand reputation: Consistently delivering excellent customer experiences strengthens your brand’s reputation and builds trust.

Implementing a rewards program is a highly effective strategy for fostering customer loyalty and spending. Research indicates that 64% of loyalty program members spend more money.

Given that a significant number of customers prefer rewards that are accessible via mobile devices, Rakuten Viber offers an ideal platform to meet this requirement.

Rakuten Viber offers a range of features designed to enhance customer experience effectively. From Rich Business Messaging and personalized interactions to integrated CRM and CDP systems, the platform ensures that your customers feel valued and understood. Rakuten Viber is not just about enhancing experiences; it's about building lasting relationships. 

Enhance Your Loyalty Program with Viber Integration

Loyalty programs supported by Viber can significantly boost customer satisfaction and spending.

Here are several ways you can leverage Viber:

1. Virtual loyalty cards: Provide your customers with virtual loyalty cards that they can easily access and manage through the Viber app. This not only makes it convenient for them but also keeps your brand top-of-mind.

2. Promoting loyalty programs and encouraging customers to join: Using Viber Ads in conjunction with personalized messages ensures that a business’ promotional efforts are both effective and non-intrusive. Viber integrates ads seamlessly into the user experience, while personalized messages provide value and relevance, enhancing customer satisfaction and brand perception. 

3. Reminder notifications: Send timely reminders to customers about their bonus points and encourage them to redeem these points. This can effectively drive repeat purchases and maintain engagement.

4. Exclusive offers and updates: Send personalized messages and exclusive offers to your loyalty program members. Keeping your customers informed about the latest deals and updates can further incentivize them to stay engaged with your brand.

Streamline Your Loyalty Program: Leverage CRM, CDP, and Viber Chatbots for Ultimate Efficiency

Managing a loyalty program requires efficient handling of customer data and interactions. Integrating Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems with Customer Data Platforms (CDP) can significantly enhance your ability to manage and optimize your loyalty program.

1. Comprehensive customer profiles: By merging CRM and CDP, you can create detailed customer profiles that consolidate data from various touchpoints. This unified view helps you understand customer behaviors, preferences, and purchase history, enabling more personalized engagement.

2. Data-driven insights: The integration of CRM and CDP provides robust data analytics capabilities. You can identify trends, segment your customer base more effectively, and tailor your loyalty program to meet the specific needs of different customer groups.

3. Enhanced targeting: With a comprehensive dataset at your disposal, you can design targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers. This can increase the effectiveness of your loyalty program, driving higher engagement and retention rates.

4. Real-time updates: A synchronized CRM and CDP setup allows for real-time data updates. This means that any changes in customer behavior or preferences are immediately reflected, which enables you to respond promptly and keep your loyalty program relevant.

Automation is a key component in managing a loyalty program efficiently, and Viber Chatbots offer an excellent solution for this purpose. 

• Personalized communication: With the help of integrated CRM and CDP systems, Viber Chatbots can deliver personalized messages and offers to the members of the loyalty program.
• Automated reminders and notifications: Chatbots can be programmed to send automated reminders to customers about their unredeemed points, upcoming expiration dates, or new rewards. These timely notifications encourage them to stay active in the loyalty program.
• Interactive engagement: Viber Chatbots can facilitate interactive experiences, such as quizzes, surveys, or mini-games to keep your customers engaged. These activities can be linked to earning additional points or unlock special rewards, adding a fun element to your loyalty program.

Podorozhnyk’s Success Story

For over twenty years, the Podorozhnyk pharmacy chain has been at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry in Ukraine, dedicated to providing high-quality pharmaceutical care.

Podorozhnyk aimed to achieve the following goals through the partnership with Rakuten Viber:

• Enhance customer engagement
• Generate leads and boost revenue
• Offer tailored promotions
• Collect customer feedback
• Improve customer experience and loyalty

To meet these objectives, Podorozhnyk utilized Viber Rich Business Messaging to engage with customers throughout their purchasing journey. Personalized Viber Business Messages directed users to the chatbot, which increased engagement with promotional offers. The Viber Chatbot played multiple roles: it gathered feedback, conducted polls and promotions, acted as a virtual loyalty card, and facilitated order placements for in-store pickup.

The results of this strategy were impressive:

• Return on Investment: Increased by 10%
• Year-over-Year Turnover: Grew by 37%
• Promotional Campaign Performance: Achieved a 450% Return on Marketing Investment
• Chatbot Subscribers: Reached 1.1 million within the first year
• Customer Feedback: Received from 46% of bot subscribers
• Online Orders: Half of all online orders for pickup were placed via the chatbot

This case study highlights how Podorozhnyk’s strategic use of Viber Business Messages and Chatbot functionalities significantly boosted customer engagement, feedback collection, and overall business performance.

Seamless and Swift: Delivering Instant, Efficient Customer Support

In today's fast-paced world, customers have exceptionally high expectations for support services—most expect assistance to be instantaneous. Poor quality or delayed support can severely impact the customer experience, leading to dissatisfaction and potential loss of business. Viber Business Messages and Chatbots are designed to meet this demand.

1. 24/7 chatbot support: Viber Chatbots can address routine inquiries around the clock, and manage multiple questions simultaneously. This not only ensures that customers receive immediate responses but also alleviates the workload and operational costs for human agents.

2. Efficiency and speed: Automated responses through chatbots handle common queries instantly, while more nuanced issues are escalated to human agents for personalized care.

3. Seamless two-way communication with Viber Business Messages: Engaging with a brand on Viber is as straightforward and convenient as chatting with a friend. This ease of use enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, this platform supports the exchange of pictures, videos, and files, allowing for a richer and more responsive experience.

4. Personalized human assistance: For more complex issues that require a human touch, Viber’s Conversational Business Messages facilitate convenient, one-on-one communication between customers and support agents. This ensures that customers receive personalized and attentive service when it matters most.

Viber Business Calls for Instant, In-App Support

Statistics show that 91% of customers prefer to have the option to message or call a business. For those who prefer voice communication, Viber Business Calls provide a seamless and free in-app calling option. 

Early adopters have the option to set up searchable business accounts featuring an integrated Viber Business Call button or to incorporate this functionality into their current accounts. This integration simplifies the process for customers to locate and directly contact the service through the app. Moreover, users can start a call straight from a chat, such as contacting a delivery service to reschedule a parcel delivery after getting a notification.

This feature serves multiple purposes across various industries, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

1. Retail and delivery sector: Assist customers with product inquiries, track orders, and provide post-sales support. 

2. Banking and financial services: Address account inquiries, schedule appointments, manage transactions, and offer personalized financial advice. 

3. Pharmacies and healthcare: Assist with prescription refills, share branch schedules, and provide consultations on medications, including advice on allergic reactions and side effects. 

4. Travel and hospitality: Manage bookings, provide travel advice, and handle cancellations or rescheduling. 

5. Telecommunications: Troubleshoot technical issues, manage service plans, and offer promotional deals. 

All in all, in-app calls enable instant resolution of customer queries, reducing wait times and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Secure Your Brand’s Future

Investing in customer experience and fostering loyalty is not just good practice; it's necessary for any brand aiming for long-term success. By neglecting loyalty programs and robust customer support mechanisms, brands risk losing a significant portion of clientele over time. Rakuten Viber offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to enhance customer satisfaction, from promoting loyalty programs with Viber Ads and personalized messages to managing these programs efficiently through CRM and CDP integration and Viber Chatbots. Additionally, Viber’s capabilities in providing personalized assistance and instant support via Business Messages and in-app call centers ensure that your customers receive the timely and effective service they deserve.

Don’t wait to see your customers drift away. Take proactive steps to enhance their experience and foster loyalty. Turn to the Rakuten Viber team today and revolutionize your customer engagement strategy. 

Contact us now to get started.