Combating Disconnect Disease

Regardless of your industry – corporate or NFP – organisations face a critical issue that becomes top of mind as we hurtle towards an increasingly digital age. Retention.

Customer or supporter retention and staff engagement are among the key factors in determining the success of an organisation, especially in today’s connected society. Both of these areas have a direct impact on the profitability or income of an organisation. It’s a fact.

If you aren’t connecting at a deeper level with customers or supporters they will be less moved to support you.

And, if you aren’t engaging meaningfully with your team members, your organisation’s training and recruitment costs will significantly diminish your overall returns.

In the Salesforce 2016 State of Marketing report, detailing the results of research with 4000 marketing leaders worldwide, the predominant theme to emerge is that customer experience is at the centre of the success of top marketing teams, with the number one takeaway being the adoption of a customer journey strategy. Similarly, it is well documented that employee engagement equals higher productivity and job satisfaction.

However, with the shift of awareness in an always-connected community, fully embracing that customer journey and developing deeper engagement with staff must involve cause-related issues.

It’s human nature to feel deeply about some cause and feel that we can contribute in a meaningful way.

So why is it that so few organisations open up the seemingly obvious opportunity to tap into the individual passions/causes of their customers, employees or supporters when it is not only good for community but is equally good for their bottom line?

An effective engagement strategy encompasses multiple touch points across a number of different platforms that deliver a consistent message, share stories and make the recipient feel connected to your brand and message. And when you consider what social media has done in terms of fragmenting your message, why not start with simply asking the simple question ‘what really gets you going?’

Consumers and employees alike are demanding that organisations, whether corporates or NFPs, are accountable and socially responsible and, most importantly, can demonstrate an understanding of their personal needs. And, the ones that can do this effectively are able to combat disconnection disease and are rewarded with customers, supporters and staff who actively promote their cause, either in business or in the community.

If you’d like to find out how to develop an effective customer or staff retention strategy that connects people to a cause with personal meaning and, at the same, makes plain good business sense, please contact us.