Guest blog: The struggle for loyalty is real

According to Renderforest, 80 percent of customers “grew to love” a brand, while 15 percent experienced “love at first sight”. It also found that 94 percent of customers are likely to be loyal to the brands that offer transparency.

Loyalty is a strong word.

As we grow our business, we desire loyal customers and employees. High retention is important to growth and longevity for any automotive business. So how do you create loyalty? How do you influence first, second and third-time buyers to become loyal customers?

You can begin by offering them a brand experience second to none. This can be created through omni-sensory touchpoints. It can also be done by adding little details to their purchasing journey.

But none of this matters if your company is hiding behind a veil of secrecy or anonymity. If we have learned anything through this pandemic, it’s that transparency is wanted.

Simply look at how governments have handled lockdowns and vaccine rollouts. The level of transparency experienced by citizens is/was chaotic. Our level of frustration in the lack of transparency turned us against each other. It created protests. Anger and decent rose across the globe. All we wanted were answers, honest, straightforward answers but we didn’t get what we requested.

Now think about your automotive brand for a moment. Do buyers know who you are? Are you being transparent about who you are and why you exist? Are you giving them honest, transparent answers as they interact with your brand?