That means that, in the online world, providing excellent customer service is critical to keeping customers flocking back. Companies that are managing to retain consumer loyalty are doing it by erecting what Meta Group Inc., of Stamford, Conn., refers to as exit barriers.
Exit barriers are simply extra reasons for customers to stick around.
One effective way to erect an exit barrier is to build an online community in addition to selling merchandise. Visitors, for example, can get instant access to highly specialized product information, including bloom time, planting zones and soil pH requirements. Traditional garden shops can't offer such a depth of knowledge because they employ a limited number of salespeople with only a finite range of expertise. At all these sites, the idea is to build customer loyalty by going beyond excellent customer service. All Rights Reserved.