How Brands can Build Consumer Trust
Consumers born after 1980 take the trust they have in a brand into strong consideration when they are choosing who to shop with. Over half of consumers that have had a disappointing experience with a brand will not shop with them again. There is no tolerance for mistakes when it comes to consumer trust, so brands have to tailor their customer experience model to reflect this.
Tailor Customer Service
Consumer expectations are constantly changing and there is no one size fits all model to deal with them. Every customer interaction matters, and how a brand deals with one customer should not be how they deal with the next. Customer service should be tailored to individuals in order to build trust and restore faith in the brand.
Encourage Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is the most trusted source for product recommendations. Consumers turn to their friends and family for advice when they are shopping. Customers do not trust sponsored posts and even posts created by their favourite influencers and celebrities as much as they would a post by someone close to them. If a brand loses one customer because of a lack of trust, this can snowball to other existing and potential consumers. Brands need to encourage positive word of mouth if they want to reap the benefits that come with the consumer’s need for trust in brands.
Ditch Push Marketing and Sales
Consumers are skeptical for the most part, if this is paired with push marketing and eager sale's pitches, consumers will look elsewhere. Consumers want to feel like they have complete control over their purchase decisions and aren't influenced by pushy shop assistants and dozens of spam emails. Brands that ditch push marketing in favour of creative campaigns will reap the benefits that come with consumer trust.
Transparency
Consumers want the brands they shop with to be open and honest with them. This applies to everything from the consumer’s data to where the brand sources their products from. If a customer gives a brand access to their email address, they don’t expect their data to be passed on to a third party. They want to be fully aware of what their details will be used for. From a transparent supply chain stand point, consumers want to ensure the brand they are buying from is ethical and sustainable. They don’t want the products they buy to be traced back to unethical behaviour.
Flexibility
Brands that have flexible policies will build consumer trust a lot easier. Consumers expect to have flexibility if they want to return an item, even if it isn’t faulty. They also want ease of unsubscribing to marketing promotions. Brands that make the process difficult and lengthy will get blocked and blacklisted.
Looking for more retail insights? Visit Spring Fair our February show and take part in our free workshops and seminars.
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