Customer advocacy is a specialized form of customer service in which companies focus on what is best for the customer. It is a change in a company's culture that is supported by customer-focused customer service and marketing techniques.
Contents
Customer advocacy business model
A customer advocacy policy encompasses all aspects of customer contact, including products, services, sales and complaints. Some examples of a customer advocacy approach are suggesting a product even if the profit margin is less for the company, setting service call appointments based on the customer's (not the company's) preferred hours, or recommending a competitor's product because it is better at meeting the customer's needs. However, there are times when, if a customer is happy with you, they will pay more for the service as a 'per se' talent fee.
Role of the customer advocate
Customer advocates are facilitators between customers and the company. They are trained in cross-functional roles and empowered to provide customers with assistance in all areas of the business. The role of the customer advocate is three-fold:
Measuring customer advocacy
Customer advocacy can be integrated into a company’s strategic goals and measured through customer satisfaction, retention, and profitability. A popular proxy for customer advocacy is the Net Promoter Score.