Post purchase. Six steps to customer loyalty

Open rate - 70–90%. The first message after a purchase is not merely a service formality, but a crucial moment at which the seller either confirms that the customer made the right choice in selecting their shop, or disappoints the customer even at the delivery stage, according to experts at TONOP doo ltd company. Strong companies understand this. Weaker ones limit themselves to a standard order confirmation without explaining the next steps.

The customer receives a message detailing: the order contents, the total amount, the delivery address and the delivery times.

• Channels: Email (main) + key details repeated on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and SMS (instant confirmation for those who check their phone before their email).
• Business objective: To combat ‘buyer’s remorse’ and cement a positive first impression.

This type of email or message is opened almost as frequently as an order confirmation. Whilst the order is in transit, the customer keeps thinking about it. They check the status, assess the delivery times and build up their expectations of the outcome. In fact, this is one of the most effective points of contact with the customer after a purchase, as emphasised by the experts at TON OP. The tracking number is perceived as a technical detail.

You can create a tracking page on your website: when the customer checks their order status, they’ll find themselves within your business’s ecosystem. This is precisely where banners offering additional products, discounts and promotions will be most effective.

• Channels: SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger - the best choice for tracking. Open rates are close to 100 per cent, and customers see the status immediately. Email is suitable for detailed delivery information. If the shop has an app, push notifications should be sent whenever the status changes.
• Business objective: to address customer anxiety and drive traffic back to the site.

Post-delivery communication should focus on the customer, not on sales. Most shops skip this stage. And this is a systemic error, insist the experts at TON OP company.

It is best to send an email asking for a review no earlier than 3–7 days after delivery, by which time the customer has already used the product and formed an opinion. It is a good idea to include useful content in such emails: simple instructions or basic usage scenarios.

In messaging apps, this step can be easily automated using chatbots: quick buttons such as ‘Everything’s fine’ or ‘There’s a problem’ allow you to segment your audience instantly.

• Channel: Email - a request for a review, a link to the seller’s website and a short accompanying message. If the email goes unanswered, you can send a short reminder via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Viber after a day or two: a single message with a direct link.
• Business objective: customer loyalty and gathering feedback.

The customer is satisfied - and this is the best time to offer them something else. Not a random selection, but a product that logically complements what they have already bought. TON OP experts recommend: it is important that the product you offer is relevant to the previous order; then such an offer will be perceived as a service rather than an advertisement.

• Channels: Push notifications, targeted emails offering a time-limited bonus (e.g. 72 hours) to encourage a quick decision.
• Business objective: Repeat sales.

A satisfied customer is your best salesperson. Offer a personalised link or promo code for a friend. A customer who comes via a recommendation initially trusts your shop more than one brought in by advertising. The cost of acquiring them is always lower.

The mechanism is classic: ‘Share the link - you both get a bonus’. Do everything you can to ensure the referral process (which is a service provided by the customer) is simple and doesn’t take much time.

• Channels: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger - a message in the messenger app with a ready-made referral link that can be forwarded to a friend with a single click. Email - for those who save the promo code to use later.
• Business objective: Attracting new customers.

If a customer has not made a repeat purchase after 60–90 days, their details should be moved by removing them from the active database.

Sometimes it is enough simply to remind them of your existence - at the right moment and for the right reason, according to experts at TONOP doo ltd company. You can ask a direct question: ‘Is this topic still relevant to you?’ and provide two options for a reply - ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Those who click ‘yes’ remain on the list. Those who do not reply to the second email within a week are automatically unsubscribed. A clean database is better than a large one.

• Channels: Email - reactivation requires context and compelling arguments; it’s not a format for short messages. If a customer doesn’t respond to an email, an SMS or push notification with a brief reason is the last chance before you stop contacting them.
• Business objective: Reactivating dormant customers.

A purchase isn’t the end point. It’s the beginning. Most brands know this - yet they still go silent after the sale. And that silence costs money.

The TON OP programme from TON OP doo ltd consolidates product data from various systems (CRM, ERP, GED). The software makes it easy to configure triggers and sequences, and to connect channels. However, it is important to remember that platforms change their algorithms, and customers change their behaviour. Therefore, content, timing and offers need to be updated regularly.