{"id":2520,"date":"2023-06-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/138.197.200.24\/resources\/blog\/customer-retention-strategies-during-covid\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:29:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:29:58","slug":"customer-retention-strategies-during-covid","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.smartkarrot.com\/resources\/blog\/customer-retention-strategies-during-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"70+ Experts Reveal the Best Customer Retention Strategies During COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Customer retention is very challenging for businesses especially in 2020. The unprecedented times and business environment have made it uncertain for business leaders on what steps to take to retain customers. Budgets have been compromised and priorities have moved online. In this mix, it is necessary to find efficient ways to sustain your business.<\/p>\n

According to Marketing Metrics<\/a>, the rate of success while selling to an existing customer is close to 70%, while the same for a new prospect is 5-20%. In the times of the coronavirus pandemic especially, a primary meter that will set businesses apart is customer experience. What may not have affected a business earlier now poses a major problem. So, retaining customers becomes necessary for any company to sustain itself in this economic turbulence. The existing customer retention strategies may not work best in these testing times. \u00a0<\/p>\n

In this context, we reached out to business owners, influencers, startup founders to know what customer retention tactics<\/a> they are using in the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

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What do Experts have to say?<\/h2>\n

The best way to know how to retain customers is to hear it from other business owners who do just the same.<\/p>\n

Business owners like Reuben Yonatan, Paige Arnof-Fenn, Jayson DeMers, and 70+ others have shared their working, tried-and-tested strategies to retain customers during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

1. Rand Fishkin, Co-founder and CEO, SparkToro<\/h3>\n

Rand Fishkin is the co-founder and CEO of SparkToro. He is a professional marketer helping companies improve their efforts in marketing through blogging, books, videos, and public speaking.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Rand Fishkin shares when asked:<\/ins><\/p>\n

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Hubspot has a great resource: https:\/\/t.co\/Hl5TW8odPZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rand Fishkin (@randfish) June 11, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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2. Reuben Yonatan, CEO, GetVoIP<\/a><\/h3>\n

Reuben Yonatan\u00a0is the founder and CEO of GetVoIP.\u00a0Equipped with an extensive background in ecommerce and entrepreneurship, he handles all marketing and customer success efforts. On customer retention strategies, his response was as follows.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurvey your customers frequently to measure customer satisfaction and handle all shortcomings that the customers raise. Offer discounts to your long-term clients whenever it is viable. It will help increase brand loyalty which translates to customer loyalty and retention.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. <\/a>Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder, <\/a>Mavens & Moguls<\/a><\/h3>\n

Paige is a marketing and branding expert at Mavens & Moguls. The global strategic marketing consulting firm has employees dispersed across the globe. Paige says, \u201cLong term relationships are gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFocusing on retention makes sense especially during a recession.\u00a0 Ideally you allocate money in your budget to stay relevant and grow.\u00a0\u00a0 Keeping customers and clients happy is harder now than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo stay connected to your audience seamlessly through the synchronicity of e-mails and connect so easily anytime is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Jayson DeMers, CEO, EmailAnalytics<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jayson DeMers heads EmailAnalytics, a firm that has created an email analytics tool to visualize data and metrics. \u201cBe friendly, respond quickly, and respond thoroughly.\u201d, this is the mantra of Jayson.<\/p>\n

He adds, \u201cAccording to one study<\/a>, the top cited reason that customers switch vendors is \u201cfeeling unappreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother study found that 67%<\/a> of customers would be willing to pay more for a great customer service experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Bruce Hogan, CEO, SoftwarePundit<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bruce Hogan is co-founder and CEO of SoftwarePundit, a research firm that offers tools to help businesses thrive. He says, \u201cIt\u2019s all about the customer onboarding experience.\u201d \u201cNew customers are excited to try your product or service but can be quickly turned off if their expectations are not met. In contrast, customers who have a fantastic first experience are likely to have a high retention rate and become brand ambassadors.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Jason Parks, President and CEO, The Media Captain<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jason Parks heads The Media Captain, a digital marketing agency located in Ohio<\/p>\n

Jason from The Media Captain<\/a> says, \u201cTo avoid having a lot of clients drop-off, we lowered our pricing for a lot of clients during COVID-19. This allowed the client to save money and recover from the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Andrei Vasilescu, CEO, DontPayFull<\/a><\/h3>\n

Andrei Vasilescu co-founded DontPayFull, a coupon website to help shoppers save more. In response to providing customers value during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, \u201cPersonally addressed email newsletters are working exceptionally well to build stronger relationships with your customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk your existing customers about their present requirements in this crisis and offer them special deals from your business. These personalized email messages are capable of building great relationships with your customers and your customers will remain loyal for a long period after the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Allison Chaney, Chief Digital Training Officer, <\/a>Boot Camp Digital<\/a><\/h3>\n

Allison Chaney is the chief digital training officer at Boot Camp Digital and has over 20 years\u2019 experience in digital marketing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for your feedback\u201d are the five words she swears by. When asked about customer retention during COVID-19, she said, \u201cVideo! I can\u2019t stress enough about it.\u201d \u201cWith this pandemic, we saw a huge uptick in our audience taking advantage of the office hours. They are hungry for that connection and that is why the video is so critical.\u201d \u201cIt has been amazing to see how connected our clients become, and once you build that relationship, they are loyal for life.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Brian Lim, founder and CEO, iHeartRaves<\/h3>\n

Brian Lim is an expereinced ecommerce entrepreneur with many startups in his kitty. To retain customers during COVID-19, he mentioned some interesting points.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are shifting our marketing from mostly festival clothing to focus on other uses of our clothing such as lingerie or loungewear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSecondly, we have started designing face masks. For each mask that is purchased, we will donate one face mask to nonprofits supporting those on the front lines. We are receiving thousands of orders and are excited to help anyone we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, we have a #RaveFromHome series which is a direct response to the virus outbreak. Every Friday, we deliver tips for raving at home and ways to pass the time in style. We include Spotify playlists that our team has put together filled with some of our favorite feel-good dance music. Customers use the hashtag #RaveAtHome to tag us in their living room parties, at-home photo shoots, and light art skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

10. Sonya Schwartz, Founder, <\/a>Her Norm<\/h3>\n

Sonya is a dating and relationship expert who founded Her Norm. The aim is to provide actionable tips to help improve relationships in life. She says, \u201cIf there are changes in your company, make sure you let your client know ahead of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want them thinking you\u2019re taking advantage of them, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cDuring a pandemic, it is hard to retain customers especially if your business is not under the basic needs of people. So, businesses must exert effort and time to observe what could be the best ways to retain customers during times of recession.\u201d<\/p>\n

11. Benjamin Walker, CEO, Transcription Outsourcing<\/a>, LLC<\/h3>\n

Benjamin Walker is a CEO, entrepreneur, and founder of Transcription Outsourcing. The company provides high-quality, user-friendly transcription services for legal, medical, and financial industries.<\/p>\n

He says, \u201cWe continue to communicate with them on every level possible except in person for obvious reasons.\u00a0 We are emailing them updates to make sure they can hear our voices occasionally.\u00a0 It has solidified our relationships better than I could have ever imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n

12. CJ Xia, Growth Marketer, Boster Biological Technology<\/a><\/h3>\n

Aqsa is a growth marketer at Boster Biological Technology founded in 1993.<\/p>\n

Aqsa shared her insights, \u201cKeep them in the loop. Reach out to such customers by maintaining a communication calendar. You should make them feel like the company does not treat them as a customer but as family.\u201d<\/p>\n

13. Monica\u00a0Eaton-Cardone, COO, Chargebacks911<\/a><\/h3>\n

Monica is the chief operating officer of Chargebacks911 , a risk mitigation firm. When she was asked about retention, she said, \u201cOne of the best ways to retain customers is to build a relationship with them. Trust plays a huge role in the relationship between you and your customer, and it is important that you always stay true to your word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a customer trusts you, they will be more likely to continue using your service as well as recommend it to others.\u201d<\/p>\n

14. Shayan Fatani, Digital Marketing Strategist, PureVPN<\/h3>\n

Shayan Fatani is a marketing strategist at PureVPN. We asked him about customer retention strategies during COVID-19, and he spoke his mind.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cAs a SaaS company, customer retention is important for us to keep the flywheel active since existing customers are what keep every other process in our business self-sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCustomer retention in the case of our company is majorly reducing refunds and increasing subscriptions could reflect customer retention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nature of your business\/product would determine how you can differentiate your efforts from your competition during a crisis such as the COVID-19. Our company took the initiative to provide 24\/7 customer support globally considering we sell a technical product with a high demand amidst the crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

15. Shelley Grieshop, Creative Writer, Totally Promotional<\/a><\/h3>\n

Shelley Grieshop leads the creative writing efforts for Totally Promotional, a source for all custom printed products. She says, \u201cIf you want to keep loyal customers coming back, you have to stand out in the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHand your loyal clients a customized koozie or chip clip printed with your logo and they\u2019ll be back. Bulk-priced promotional products work best when customers are searching for a better deal. This is your opportunity to keep the customers who already trust your products and services.\u201d<\/p>\n

16. Hung Nguyen, Content Marketing Manager<\/strong>, Smallpdf<\/a><\/h3>\n

Hung Nguyen leads content marketing efforts for Smallpdf<\/a>, an innovative document management platform, based in Switzerland.\u00a0 He also supported Smallpdf as Marketing and Customer Satisfaction Manager for three years prior to taking over content management.<\/p>\n

We asked Hung about the importance of customer retention and churn reduction. His response was insightful, \u201cYou can incentivize users through offering a discount, or annual plan including only features. With a discounted version they have more time to test out the product.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will allow them to understand the value it brings, such as streamlining their workflows. Once they see the value involved, they\u2019re more likely to see the potential value of upgrading to a higher tier plan. And naturally, the longer the customer uses your service, the lower the chances are of them canceling.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo increase retention organically, businesses should listen to their users, implement feedback, and build a product that appeases customer needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

17. Chioma Iwunze, Marketer and Writer, Time Doctor<\/a><\/h3>\n

Chioma Iwunze, a writer and marketer at Time Doctor writes about productivity, time management, and customer satisfaction. Vouching for simple processes, she said, \u201cTrial plans are designed to give potential customers an opportunity to explore the unique features your product has.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnsure that a customer support personnel is available to swoop in when the customer needs help. Simplify the process of migrating to new plans. Use a good system that stores as well as protects customer information. This way the customer will only need to enter new important information required for a plan switch.\u201d<\/p>\n

18. Nikola Baldikov,Digital Marketing Manager, Brosix<\/a><\/h3>\n

Nikola Baldikov is a Digital Marketing Manager at\u00a0Brosix, a secure instant messaging software for business communication.\u00a0On customer retention, he said, \u201cThe best way to retain customers is to provide the best customer service possible.\u201d \u201cNo one wants to feel like they are \u2018only a number.\u2019 That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial to treat customers as individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n

19. Ashwini Dave, Digital Marketing Expert, Acquire<\/a><\/h3>\n

Ashwini\u00a0is passionate about Business, customer service, and Digital Marketing. She says, \u201cRetaining customers should be a top priority for the company, no matter what the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne need to focus on customer service factors like personalization, Integrity, empathy, efforts, expectations, resolution, customer feedback etc. to design the right strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

20. John Frigo, Marketer, <\/a>Best Price Nutrition<\/a><\/h3>\n

John Frigo of Best Price Nutrition, a vitamins and supplements company feel that customer retention is not rocket science.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping customers coming back is as simple as offering a good customer experience,\u201d said John. \u201cHaving a well laid out website that\u2019s offers a good customer service is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

21. Joyce Qian, Growth & Strategy, ContactPigeon<\/a><\/h3>\n

Joyce spearheads growth & strategy at Contact Pigeon, a campaign automation platform. In response to customer retention strategies, she says, \u201cNail your Customer Experience (CX).\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Customer Experience is among the top priorities among retailers for 2020 as Gartner<\/a> revealed. Nearly 5,000 business organizations have a CXO (Chief Experience Officer) confirming that investing in Customer Experience is a top priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

22. Jack Wang<\/a>, CEO, Amazing Beauty Hair<\/h3>\n

Jack Wang is the CEO of Amazing Beauty Hair that specializes in beauty and hair products. As an e-commerce leader, he said, \u201cThe best tactic for customer retention is providing good, honest customer service.\u201d \u201cThis is what\u2019s worked for me: put up a loyalty program of some kind, where your returning customers are rewarded. It is a tactic that helps provide that encouragement to your customers to support the product or service you offer. \u201c<\/p>\n

23. Emily Carroll, Marketing Coordinator, Drive Research<\/a><\/h3>\n

Emily Carroll is a market research professional at Drive Research. She says, \u201cWhat better way to gauge customer satisfaction than to ask them?\u201d \u201cCustomer retention surveys are a cost-effective and strategic way for businesses to improve customer churn rates.\u201d<\/p>\n

24. Liam Pickard, Marketing Manager, <\/a>Klood<\/a><\/h3>\n

Liam has over 15 years of experience in lead generation and marketing. He works with Klood Digital, a growth agency for SaaS businesses.<\/p>\n

Liam says, \u201cIt\u2019s a fine line between being a valued contact or a pestering salesperson. Keep customers coming back by maintaining a helpful approach to your ongoing communications. Speak to existing clients, learn about their experiences with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

25. Jane Flanagan, Lead Marketer, <\/a>Tacuna Systems<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jane Flanagan says, \u201cCommunicate regularly with customers to update them about any updates. This creates a sense of loyalty. We also offer loyalty discounts to let them know the offer is exclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n

26. Mert Aktas, Marketing Manager, UserGuiding<\/a><\/h3>\n

Mert Aktas is a marketing manager at UserGuiding, a product walkthrough software for product adoption and customer onboarding.<\/p>\n

\u00a0He says, \u201cAfter applying the rules of product adoption to our business, our retention rates have increased by 70% vs last year. And we\u2019ve positioned our product to be \u2018the easiest-to-use no-code product adoption software\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

27. Alexandra Kovaleva, Marketer, <\/a>DDI Development<\/h3>\n

Alexandra Kovaleva is a marketer at DDI Development, a customer software development company. In her words, \u201cFollow up with customers to make sure you\u2019re meeting their needs and expectations, see how your product or service works for them. Customers are more likely to trust you if they see you reaching out to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

28. Jeremy Harrison, Founder, <\/a>Hustle Life<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jeremy Harrison of Hustle Life says, \u201cPersonalizing your approach to each customer goes a long way in making them remember you. You can even reward them by creating a loyalty rewards program.<\/p>\n

29. Adeel Shabir, Outreach manager, <\/a>Gigworker<\/a><\/h3>\n

Adeel Shabir, outreach manager at Gigworker has recognized the importance of customer retention. He says, \u201cProvide support on the right channel. If you have social media channels working for promoting your business, make sure that your business has a channel for support also. Customer loves when they are listened and act on what is required. This way you can start word of mouth marketing as well. When the customer is happy, he or she will become loyal to your business, hence the retention comes in the play.\u201d<\/p>\n

30. Alexandra Cote<\/a>, Freelance Digital Marketer, and Consultant, Alexandra M.Cote<\/h3>\n

Alexandra is an SEO strategist, and she says, \u201cGiven the current economic situation, focusing on retaining customers is more important than ever.\u201d \u201cThe first thing you can do is offer help and maybe even a free product, subscription, or service for the time being for customers.\u201d \u201cAnother thing to keep in mind is that you should focus one educating customers more than simply promoting offers and sales. As an idea, start an email list to send regular informative content to your clients without being overly promotional. This allows you to position yourself as a thought leader in the field and stay top-of-the-mind without really selling.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

31. Kevin Miller, CEO, The Word Counter<\/a><\/h3>\n

Kevin Miller, founder and CEO of The Word Counter, a dynamic online tool used for counting words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and pages in real-time, along with spelling and grammar checking.<\/p>\n

In order to retain customers and keep them engaged with you during the coronavirus outbreak, there is a myriad of things you can do. Here is my list of five below:\u00a0<\/p>\n