G.L.U.E. – Give a little, get a lot

G.L.U.E. or ‘Giving Little Unexpected Extras’ refers to going the extra mile for your customers. Offering a ‘one size fits all’ approach will not suffice for companies who wish to stand out from their competitors as 66% of customers now expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, thus offering a more personalised experience.

A little goes a long way and can be a huge driver of customer loyalty. Giving Little Unexpected Extras is a strategy that works well for eCommerce businesses—and it could work for yours too!

In this blog, we will explore how adding a little “G.L.U.E” to your offering will make your customers stick and will bring many benefits to your business.

How to make your offering ‘stickier’:

Personalisation: In recent years, tailoring your offerings to individual customer needs has become more and more popular. Customers expect a lot more than just a standard product or service. According to Salesforce, 52% of customers expect offerings to always be personalised, this figure is up from 49% in 2019. For example, Coca-Cola launched their ‘Share a Coke’ campaign in 2011, which involved printing the most popular first names on their bottles, to create a more personal experience for their consumers.
Extras/samples: Adding a little extra to a customer order, such as a chocolate with a cup of coffee, makes customers feel like they are cared about. Offering up samples of other products encourages upselling and makes customers excited to place an order again.
Welcome offerings: Doubletree hotels are well known for their welcome offerings. Guests checking into their hotels receive a warm chocolate chip cookie at reception. The hotel calls it a ‘signature extra’ that helps them beat competition.
Charitable donations: Customers today lay emphasis on how brands contribute towards making a positive difference. Companies should make customers a part of their ethical commitments by supporting the causes that are important to them. For example, for every pair of glasses purchased, Warby Parker donates a pair to someone in need as part of their “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” initiative.
Providing support: Having extra customer service on deck will allow you to go above and beyond, and exceed customer expectations. Offering full omnichannel support to your customers can help your business stand out from those who only use the standard voice or chatbot.

Benefits:

Increased Customer Loyalty: According to a study conducted by Hyken in the US, 75% of customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that provides a personalised customer experience.
Increased customer satisfaction: Positive customer experiences receive 20% higher CSAT rates.
Reduced customer churn: Happy customers are 2.7 times more likely to keep doing business with a company.
Brand reputation: According to KPMG, 66% of customers are likely to leave a positive review online following a positive interaction while 86% are likely to recommend the brand to friends and family.
Increased Revenue: Customers are willing to pay extra (up to 17% more) from a company known for its exceptional service. Furthermore, following a positive experience, customers are likely to spend up to 140% more.

Customers want to feel like they are more than just a number with 84% stating that this is key to winning their business. Gathering feedback from your customers will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and expectations, allowing you to offer a more personalised service or product. 57% of customers stated that they are willing to share personal data with companies in exchange for a personalised offering.

G.L.U.E. will bring many benefits to your business and can be the key differentiating factor when it comes to standing out from the competition.