Driving Loyalty With Customer-Centric Technology

Key takeaways to help engage customers through innovation.

By Steve Hockett

There are a number of successful franchises using technology to attract, engage with, and retain customers. At Great Clips, we have faced the challenge of balancing technology with the in-real-life experience of getting a haircut. You can get your groceries delivered to your door after placing an order through an app; you can have your car trouble diagnosed through an app; and you can even interact with a doctor through an app.

But, you can’t order a routine haircut or special occasion new style for delivery through an app. So, at Great Clips, our challenge has been how to balance customers’ use of technology to improve their overall experience and drive them to visit a local salon where they feel comfortable and connected to the stylists.

With more than 4,350 salons in the United States and Canada, Great Clips has experienced tremendous growth since our first salon opened in 1982. At the forefront of this growth is the strategy around customer-centric technology implemented to achieve consistent results that drive franchisee profitability and deliver a great customer experience. Because all Great Clips salons are independently owned and operated, although customers don’t necessarily differentiate between each salon, our goal is to have a service platform where every Great Clips customer experiences the same outstanding customer service no matter which salon they visit, no matter which stylist cuts their hair.

You can set up these types of customer-centric technology at your franchise, but where should you start? By making things easier for your customers on mobile and building loyalty programs to establish long-term relationships and increase brand awareness.

Innovate Around Your Core

Millions of customers connect with our brand through their Great Clips app, and with more than 40 percent of all customer visits originating from this platform, we know that we’re on the right track. Introducing these technologies into our franchise system has driven salon growth, increased customer loyalty and has been key in building connectivity with customers. You can set reminders for a haircut, make an appointment, find out wait times and much more.

When thinking about your franchised business, how does your app make life easier for your customers?

Does it connect with your customers between visits or purchases?

Can customers pre-order/pre-pay to make their in-store time faster and easier?

What are current pain points in working with you that could be managed through an app to make doing business with you better?

Are there any preferences, reminders, lists, discounts tied to your products and services that are repeat purchases, or ways to store and categorize data to make purchases easier?

Do customers need online help and if so, can you use AI to build chatbots to make this process easier for them to use?

Do you use your app to gather ongoing feedback on the app, your company, service?

It’s important to keep on top of innovation, brainstorm creative ways to incorporate new features into your app to create a reason for customers to engage with you between visits. Envision what the customer experience could be and how technology can be a part of the overall process.

Loyalty Programs

Introducing a potential customer to your product or service through customer-centric technology should be an easy-to-use experience and one that differentiates your business from competitors. Successful customer-centric technology should also retain customers and turn them into brand advocates that will result in additional business from their personal networks.

Two areas that have increased customer retention at Great Clips that are worth looking into at your franchise are tools like being able to check-in online and “Clip Notes,” which is our version of customer information on preferences. Collecting and maintaining personalized information about customers creates longtime, loyal fans who spread the word to their family and friends.

How could this play out at your franchise? First, incorporate the technology into your operations and establish your loyalty programs. Then mention your loyalty programs at every chance – with partners, in your marketing programs, and other high-impact relationships that help put your app and loyalty programs front and center.

If your customer-centric technology makes the process easy, convenient and enjoyable, customers will engage and share their experience with their family and friends, thereby continuing to grow your brand. Customer-centric technology needs to complement the services a customer receives when they experience your brand in person. And, when it’s used in the right way to drive business growth objectives while serving a customer need, technology in today’s franchise environment can be an impactful tool for driving your brand’s growth.

Steve Hockett took on the role of CEO at Great Clips in January 2018 and has been with the company over the span of 30 years. He is also a member of the IFA Board of Directors. Great Clips has more than 4,350 salons (100 percent franchised) and 1,200 franchisees across U.S. and Canada. Find out more here.