4 Ways Startups Can Establish Communication With Their Customers

[This article was written by Emma Sturgis.]

Communication is essential in business, both within a company and with its clients. Technology has made this much easier and small startups have more options for good customer communication than ever before. Here is how to establish and maintain it.

Be Active On Social Media

Many customers, particularly younger customers, enjoy interacting with their favorite brands on social media. Social media platforms allow several methods of communication, including commenting, sharing and private messaging. Startups that are active on social media can enjoy a closer relationship with their customers and have a solid communication channel through which to reach them. All startups are advised to have a strong presence on social media because accounts are free and it is an incredibly effective method of marketing.

Offer Live Chat

Depending on the size of your startup and its needs, you can have existing employees be available for live chat sessions or outsource the task to customer service firms. Many customers prefer using live chat to contact a company because of its convenience and speed. You can also archive conversations more easily for analysis, follow-up and training purposes. Another option is to employ artificial intelligence. A conversational AI platform can save startups the cost of paying agents while answering basic questions from customers.

Have Multiple Contact Methods

One of the best ways to remain in communication with your customers as a small startup is to offer multiple contact methods. This includes the aforementioned social media and live chat options, as well as email and more traditional options like phone lines and postal mail. Customers can then choose the method they prefer, which makes it more likely they will remain in contact with you. You can use these methods to answer customer questions, receive feedback and listen to what customers want from your startup.

Use Automated Communications

Automated communications can be anything from a regular newsletter to appointment reminders. Setting these up to send automatically keeps customers in the loop by alerting them to new sales, products, events and more. Always encourage customers to sign up for email newsletters and text alerts so you can have this established communication channel with them.

Communication is key to the success of any startup. Consider the methods that are most effective and implement them at your business. Be dedicated to good customer communication and your efforts will be rewarded.