Existing customers – the importance of effective existing customer care

Do you know one of the most important building blocks of your business? Without a doubt, a good business idea, employees, products and services and financial resources are the pillars of a successful online shop. But your existing customers also lay the foundation for your economic growth.

Customer loyalty plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable position in the market. Unfortunately, the importance of indispensable existing customers is often underestimated. Many companies put the main focus on acquiring new customers and neglect their “repeat buyers”.

In this article you will learn why you should take a different approach, what value existing customers have, when a customer is an existing customer and what measures you can take to retain customers.

What are existing customers?

Customers are called existing customers if they have ordered at least twice from the same online shop. Customers who conclude a contract or a subscription become existing customers directly. As a synonym, the customer group is also called regular customers. A new customer becomes an existing customer because he is satisfied with the products, the services and the service.

Existing customers are an important resource for companies because they represent a stable source of revenue. They are often more loyal and open to making further purchases because they are already familiar with the company. Businesses can rely on existing customers to generate regular revenue and drive long-term growth.

However, don’t let the term “existing” mislead you. Existing customers are not naturally your permanent customers. The customer relationship must be actively cultivated with targeted measures. Otherwise, existing customers will quickly become former customers who feel better off with the competition, even though they might have liked to continue ordering from you.

Therefore, place special emphasis on creating a lasting relationship of trust between you and your existing customers.

Why are existing customers important?

Existing customers have a significant added value for an online shop. Keep in mind that regular customers are already familiar with your assortment, offers and products and, above all, are enthusiastic about them. This means they will continue to order without you having to convince them again. If you integrate a functioning existing customer care system, you create the best conditions for long-term customer loyalty and customer retention. This gives you the advantage of ensuring a regular source of revenue that requires few financial resources.

In today’s highly competitive market for customers, stable existing customers are a decisive competitive advantage and will become even more important in the future.

What advantages do existing customers have?

Existing customers bring several advantages. Customers who repeatedly shop in your online shop are usually loyal. As long as they are satisfied, they will not switch to another provider. This gives you a high degree of planning security with existing customers.

Satisfied regular customers will gladly recommend you to others. They share their positive experiences of their own accord with family, friends, acquaintances and work colleagues, but also on their social media channels. As voluntary brand ambassadors, they thus actively contribute to your growth. You can also communicate the testimonials and positive customer opinions on your website and make them part of your marketing strategy.

It is often seen that existing customers increase their basket value after their first purchases. If your regular customers can identify with the brand, they are happy to try new products, so you have a higher added value. Existing customers are less sensitive to price increases or restructuring and usually remain loyal.

Since there is already a certain amount of trust between existing customers and the online shop, the sales process can usually be completed very quickly and without hurdles. Regular customers know what the process entails and click their way through the checkout quickly, while new customers are more likely to abandon a purchase due to potential uncertainties. You can find out how to win them back here.

With existing customer care, you not only save money compared to acquiring new customers, but also increase your turnover without a large financial investment. You have to spend less money on social media marketing or performance marketing, for example, and save on advertising materials.

Ultimately, existing customers have the advantage that communication becomes much easier. This is particularly evident in terms of data protection. Regular customers have already voluntarily deposited their customer data and accepted all data protection regulations.

Existing customers or new customers?

In contrast to existing customers, new customers are all those who make a purchase from you for the very first time – regardless of whether a further purchase is made. A stable relationship does not yet exist at this point. New customers are usually actively acquired, which involves a high investment in marketing.

New customers who do not enter the existing customer phase are also called one-time buyers. They often buy spontaneously, unplanned and do not want to commit themselves permanently. Loyalty does not exist. Furthermore, you do not know the wishes, goals or demands of these new customers. However, it is important to note that there are also customers who cannot be clearly categorised as new or existing customers. For example, a customer who has bought from a company in the past but has not been active for a long time can be considered a new customer. In this case, it is important to precisely analyse the customer’s data and make an individual categorisation. A targeted approach is thus hardly possible. All this makes the acquisition of new customers very cost-intensive, in terms of marketing tools.

BUT: Remember that an existing customer was also once a new customer. A functioning existing customer care and customer loyalty is the be-all and end-all for lasting healthy growth, but you should not neglect new customer acquisition in the same way. Always set yourself the goal of turning every new customer you acquire into a regular customer. Such a strategic orientation will bring long-term benefits in the end.

How can you retain existing customers?

Now that you know the importance of existing customers, we would like to give you a few tips on how to retain regular customers. You can find out more about this in our article “Strengthening customer loyalty in the online shop: 5 tips”.

Involve existing customers

Be attentive to your existing customers and actively involve them in your communication. Listen very carefully not only to praise but also to complaints and ensure that they are dealt with quickly. Use customer contact and the feedback and ideas for your further development. Customers particularly appreciate it when their concerns are taken seriously and addressed.

Avoid routine

A major risk in existing customer care is that a certain routine arises. After all, the customer relationship is stable even if you don’t have to do anything. Make no mistake about this. If customer relationships are not maintained or regular customers are neglected, sooner or later they will switch to the competition. After all, they are always tempting you with attractive offers for new customers. Convenient if you are no longer satisfied anyway. Therefore, make a permanent effort to keep your existing customers satisfied. Surprise them, for example, with personalised recommendations that we at uptain have developed. With the help of the uptain ®ALGORITHM and Exit Intent Popups, customers are offered personalised discounts or invitations at the right time. Ask for suggestions for improvement or give them small samples of new products. Make full use of the potential that lies dormant here. Therefore, it is important to stay in contact with your existing customers and look after them in the long term.

Outsource regular customer care

If you don’t have the time or the human resources for customer care, you should consider simplifying or outsourcing it. In this case, CMS tools, which have become indispensable as one of the most important software solutions for online shops, make things easier. Alternatively, professional chat and call centres offer to take over customer management. In this way, you relieve your employees and at the same time you can be sure of well-founded customer care.

Recognising the high value of existing customers in the online shop

Long-term customer relationships mean: regular and secure income, lower costs, increasing turnover and authentic recommendations. If you want lasting growth, existing customers are one of the most important building blocks for your business success. Once you have set the driving engine in motion, even economic changes or ever-increasing competitive pressure have less impact. Loyalty and faithfulness prevail at this point and more than pay off.

Take care of your existing customers, actively strengthen the relationship with existing customers, give your regular customers the necessary attention and, as a result, continuously develop your business. This results in a win-win situation for both sides.

Frequently asked questions about existing customers

What is the difference between existing customers and new customers?

New customers buy from you for the very first time, with no stable relationship yet, and are usually acquired through cost-intensive marketing. Existing customers have ordered at least twice, or hold a contract or subscription. Some cases sit in between: someone who bought long ago but has been inactive for a long time counts as a new customer again, which calls for a close look at the customer data.

How can online shops retain existing customers?

Three measures work well. Involve regular customers actively: listen to praise and complaints, deal with them quickly, and use the feedback for your development. Break the routine with surprises such as personalised discounts or invitations delivered at the right moment through Exit-Intent Popups, or with samples of new products. And if time or staff are short, simplify customer care with CMS tools or hand it to professional chat and call centres.

What is a one-time buyer?

A one-time buyer is a new customer who never enters the existing customer phase. These shoppers often buy spontaneously and unplanned and do not want to commit themselves, so no loyalty develops. Because you know nothing about their wishes, goals or demands, a targeted approach is barely possible. That is part of why acquiring new customers stays so cost-intensive.

What advantages do existing customers bring to an online shop?

Regular customers stay loyal as long as they are satisfied, which gives you a high degree of planning security. They recommend you to family, friends, colleagues and their social media contacts, and those testimonials can feed your marketing. They often raise their basket value after the first purchases, react less sensitively to price increases, and move through the checkout quickly because trust already exists.

What are existing customers?

Existing customers are buyers who have ordered at least twice from the same online shop; anyone concluding a contract or subscription becomes one immediately. Regular customers is used as a synonym. A new customer reaches this stage through satisfaction with the products and the service. The label is not permanent, though: without actively cultivated relationships, existing customers become former customers who prefer the competition.

What mistakes should online shops avoid in existing customer care?

The biggest mistake is letting routine take over. A stable customer relationship tempts shops to do nothing, but neglected regular customers switch to competitors sooner or later, especially since rivals constantly advertise attractive new-customer offers. Underestimating existing customers while concentrating budget on acquisition is equally risky. Keep making a permanent effort: ask for suggestions, surprise them, and stay in contact for the long term.

Why are existing customers important?

Existing customers secure a regular source of revenue that requires few financial resources. They already know and value your assortment and offers, so they order again without needing to be convinced. Long-term relationships mean lower costs, rising turnover and authentic recommendations, and in a highly competitive market a stable base of regular customers is a decisive competitive advantage against economic changes and rising pressure.