The Sunday Mail
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba 
“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary’’ – Sam Walton
Today (August 24) is my birthday, and as I turn a year older, I am reflecting on how brands can make their customers’ birthdays worth the while.
One of the gifts of great customer service is celebrating customers’ special days with them.
Birthdays are a great opportunity for businesses to personalise their marketing approach and broaden their reach to new prospects, while acknowledging repeat customers.
Research has shown that birthday campaigns tend to perform better than regular promotional emails, with a 481 percent higher transaction rate, and 342 percent more revenue.
Birthday campaigns also have a 179 percent higher unique click rate, and an 89 percent higher open rate.
There are several key reasons why birthday rewards should be part of a company’s overall loyalty programme strategy.
First, birthday rewards programmes increase customer loyalty. In this regard, studies have shown that 84 percent of customers opt to stay with a brand that pleasantly surprises them and take a customer-centric approach.
Second, loyalty programmes that include birthday surprises are proven to improve customer retention rates.
Even a small increase of 5 percent in retention can boost profits by between 25 to 95 percent.
Companies can gather personalised data on their best customers, allowing them to personalise customer experiences and improve loyalty.
There are many ways companies can celebrate their customers’ birthdays.
For example, they can use SMS marketing software to send personalised messages and offers to customers, who have just joined their “birthday club”.
They can also use email marketing to send personalised birthday messages with links to landing pages, where customers can collect gifts or special offers.
Social media is another great way for companies to celebrate their customers’ birthdays by reaching out directly to them, using platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Recognising your customers’ birthday is a simple, inexpensive, and personalised way to show them that you are paying attention, and that you care.
It improves the customer experience and engenders loyalty, at almost no cost.
By adding birthday rewards to an existing loyalty programme, companies can personalise customer experiences, gather data on what campaigns are resonating with which customers, and re-target loyal customers who redeem rewards.
Here is an example of a birthday message that a company can send to its customer:
“Dear Cresencia
On behalf of Customer Success Consultancy, we would like to wish you a very happy birthday!
We hope that your special day is filled with love, joy, and all of your favourite things. To show our appreciation for your continued support, we would like to offer you a discount/gift as a birthday treat.
Thank you for being a valued customer, and we look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with you.
Best Wishes
Customer Success Consultancy”
 
However, besides sending birthday wishes, companies can also provide excellent customer service by being responsive to customer inquiries and complaints, providing timely and accurate information, and going above and beyond to meet the needs of their customers.
One way to achieve this is by training customer service representatives to be empathetic and understanding when dealing with customers.
This means listening to the customer’s concerns, acknowledging their feelings, and working towards finding a solution that meets their needs.
Another way to provide excellent customer service is by being proactive in addressing potential issues before they arise.
This can be achieved by regularly monitoring customer feedback and taking steps to address any recurring problems.
Providing exceptional customer service on special occasions like birthdays can help companies build strong relationships with their customers and improve their reputation.
By being responsive, empathetic, and proactive, companies can show their customers that they are valued and appreciated.
However, it is important for companies to do their research before they send birthday wishes to their customers, because there are some customers who do not celebrate certain milestones like birthdays.
Some customers, from certain religious sects for example, do not recognise birthday celebrations.
It would, therefore, be disrespectful and ignorant on your part to send them birthday wishes.
Do your research as a company, and do not embarrass your brand by showing that you do not fully understand your customers.
 
*Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer experience. For comments, suggestions, and trainings, she can be reached at [email protected] or at +263 712 979 461, 0719 978 335
 
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