4 New Strategies to Keep SaaS Customers Engaged

September 28, 2016 · 3 min read

4 New Strategies to Keep SaaS Customers Engaged

With the SaaS model changing and advances in technology bringing new opportunities, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve. Customer engagement rates are constantly fluctuating, so keeping customers interested in a product can seem like an uphill battle. We’ve put together four new strategies to keep churn rate low and customer engagement high.

1. Start at the Beginning

The customer’s journey with a service starts from the moment they sign up. Giving them a five-star experience right from the start will leave them with a good impression and keep them engaged during their relationship with a business.

Start by creating a comprehensive onboarding process that customers will appreciate. Some ideas for creating the best experience include:

  • An onboarding walkthrough video
  • An email sequence designed to educate the user

One thing is certain, the onboarding process must be user-friendly. Complicating the product right at the start will only lead to lower customer engagement over time.

2. Survey the Customer Base

The customers are the ones who know why they’ve stopped engaging with a product or service. So why not ask them for the reason?

Surveys may have a bad reputation, but they’re a surefire way to capture information about an important segment of a business’s database. They also help to determine the cause of that dreaded churn rate.

These don’t have to be overly long surveys that are sent by email. Instead, capture in-app answers while customers are working with the product or service. By asking a few questions while the customers are actively engaged, a business can start to collect information that will help them to improve.

3. Update and Upsell

Upselling a customer can be nerve-wracking. After all, we don’t want to lose them entirely. However, if the service is truly making a difference in their life, selling them on the next step should be a breeze and keep them engaged.

Products and services are most likely going to evolve over the years, so keeping customers alert to changes or upgrades is a great way to delight them and offer new solutions to their problems. Make sure there is a plan in place to announce any of product and service updates. It’s important that customers believe they’re getting an invaluable service and, if they’re excited about the new features, they’re more likely to share them with their network.

4. Treat Customers Like Business Partners

One thing that can lead to churn and turn customers away is a lack of communication and transparency. SaaS businesses have the added challenge of skepticism about the quality of the product, a lack of face-to-face communication, and increasing questions about security.

Make sure to alert customers to important updates and news. This can make them feel important, and kept in the loop about the service they’re buying. Aim to announce things like:

  • Software updates
  • Outages
  • Contract changes
  • Security breaches

Hiding information never benefits anyone, so communicating with the people responsible for a company’s success will only increase their happiness and engagement with that company.

The Bottom Line

There are more options than ever before for the average consumer, so we make it a priority to ensure that our SaaS business comes out on top. While getting the customer in the door may seem like the biggest challenge, keeping them active and engaged should be the top priority.

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