RETENTION
retention
Illustrate the stages of a customer journey and explain the tools used to obtain customer data
 Retaining customers is about meeting and understanding their expectations. In order to do this, we need to be able to know the customer journey. Most businesses spend most of their time and money to initially attract new audiences. 
Awareness- Making sure they are aware of ASOS is the preliminary start. Methods of this include advertisements, PR releases, eye-catching videos and graphics etc. Sparking up their interest can be done by understanding who the target market is and considering geographical, behavioural, demographic and psychographic aspects. ASOS' main target audience are UK nationals, generally students 16-25 and are very fashion conscience and aware. By understanding who they are and creating customer profiles it will be easier to think up ways to uphold their attention. ASOS' target market is predominantly aimed and 20 something year olds, so their marketing methods to retention will be primarily on social media and online.  When campaigning our ASOS activewear range, we will be promoting it mainly on social media and have our own Instagram account @ASOSMOVEMENT where customers can wear their activewear clothing and tag us, so that we can add their photos to the page. We believe this will be the best method to attract other customers as they too may want to be featured on the page and join the #ASOSMOVEMENT community.
Evaluation/consideration- The next step is evaluation of them buying into the brand. Tools used for this could be loyalty cards or voucher codes. By telling the customers they could potentially save money when purchasing products, this makes the customer more likely to make the decision to buy. ASOS often hold online sales or free delivery. This invites their customers to keep buying which leads to retention, which is also something we will be considering when promoting our activewear range. However it is important to have time limits on the vouchers as they cannot go on forever and it also promotes quicker sales.
Retention- Customer service is also another method of retaining and enticing customers. Twitter is a good resource for prompt customer service. Customer service is particularly important if they become a regular customer so that ASOS can build up loyalty with their consumers. ASOS offer customer service via various methods such as online instant chat, Twitter, Facebook, email and of course telephone. Having discounts for current customers as well as new ones are imperative as the customer would expect to be rewarded for their ongoing business and trade. This can be done by collecting data and offering special discounts on birthdays and remembering who the customer is. If the customer feels they have been looked after, they are more likely to keep returning to the brand and retain their loyalty to them. 
ASOS make the customer journey particularly enjoyable through various unique methods such as keyword search, bahavioural data, inspirational videos/photos, filters and also extra features like 'Shop This Look' where it displays the whole outfit. All these aspects inspire and tempt the customer into buying and eventually will lead to retention of the shopper.
Analyse customer data for characteristics and behaviour and explain how data sources and integrated to form a customer profile
ASOS use previous customer data to create a profile of their customer. They may do this by tracking customers order history or how much they interact with the brand online. By understanding what kind of customers they have, they will be able to use this data and tailor their marketing methods to keep customers returning. On the ASOS social media accounts, they can see who their followers are and where they get their likes from. By browsing through followers’ accounts , ASOS have access to discover all that interest them whether they be into sports, beauty, movies etc. If a lot of their customers post a lot of pictures at the gym, ASOS can bring out an activewear range, which is what we are doing for our campagin to target them accordingly. By being active on social media, ASOS are able to see their customers other interests and segment them into different behavioural categories.
Also via order history, if there are a lot of customers that often buy basketball caps and trainers, ASOS may then get an idea of the type of customer they have, in this case the customers may be into street style. Once they understand who the customer is and what they're interested in, then ASOS can create a new range of hats/trainers and campaign the new lines. This will straight away catch their customers’ attention due to their interest in street style, which will then boost sales as customers will be coming back to buy into the new products.
Other methods include offering up special discounts on customer's birthdays. ASOS and a lot of other brands make customers set up an account before they purchase, which includes putting in a birth date. When customers put this information in, ASOS then have their customers’ birthdays and can offer them deals to bring them back to the brand. 
Explain how data is used to prioritise retention marketing
Data is very important to prioritise during retention marketing as it allows ASOS to create a personalised experience for the customer. By using previous data, ASOS can visit a customer's previous order history and tap into the kind of things they usually buy. A recent tool that ASOS have been using is suggestive sizing. They use their data that they have collected over time to determine what sizes a particular customer usually buys or returns. If a customer always orders a product in a 10 and a 12, but always sends the 12 back, this concludes that the customer is better suited to a 10. ASOS will then have a pop up message in the corner by the basket icon if you add a size 12 to the basket saying that they suggest the same product in a size 10.
This tool is very useful as it will save the customer have to order the wrong size and send it back and also beneficial for ASOS as they will save money putting the item back into their supply chain. This tool has all been because of data collection and how it can be used in a way to make things more convenient to the consumer and also the brand ASOS itself. Along with the convenience of this tool, it also makes the customer feel valued as ASOS have created a personal and tailored experience for each customer.
Explain how organisations engage with customers with different customer profiles
 ASOS may engage with different customers in different ways. An example of this is by having a variety of platforms and products available. In order to market their products correctly, ASOS will use the previous data that they have collected and market them to different customers accordingly. So for example if ASOS know they have a few beauty bloggers that are regular customers, they may start advertising their make-up and beauty products on popular blogs, so that other bloggers can see them and engage with them. Or they could send out emails to the beauty bloggers email addresses. ASOS know that bloggers are particularly tech-savvy and therefore are always on their phones, possibly checking emails and notifications. By using email marketing, ASOS know that those targeted customers will definitely see the new beauty line as they have sent it directly to them.
Likewise, if ASOS decide to bring out a prom dress line, they know that they need to target the younger customers around 15/16. A lot of youngsters use the social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat, so the use of social media would be appropriate to target this age range. The rise in Snapchat has become increasingly important as so many more people are using it, particularly to shop with. ASOS have their own Snapchat account, where they can create a story showcasing their whole prom line and users can have the option to swipe up and it takes them straight to the product on the website.
We will be targeting our target market via social media channels. We have decided to use Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as they are the most popular sites used by our target market and age range. By understanding and segmenting their customers so that they can market their products accordingly with what they think certain customers may be interested in.
Review an organisation's crisis management procedures
Since being founded in 2000, ASOS has dealt with two separate occasions where a crisis has occurred. Both of these occasions were fires in their warehouse leading to damage to their stock and the company's image. The first fire occurred in 2005 and lead to £5.5 million worth of stock being lost and the brand had to be closed down for 6 weeks around the festive season. Obviously happening during festive season, ASOS lost out on a lot of possible sales and their reputation was in danger of being damaged, however ASOS were very clever with how they recovered from the crisis. They used the fire and shut down time as an opportunity to completely re-brand the company and make it what ASOS is today. They scrapped their previous name 'As Seen On Screen' and redefined the ASOS strategy as they believed that their previous strategies were dated and needed a freshen up. With the time that ASOS had to recover, they focussed on setting defined goals and objectives by setting up specific target markets and getting ahead in fashion. Upon returning back from the crisis, ASOS was back online and their new reputation was born by appealing to young fashion conscience 20 something year olds with an eye for fresh trends. Their website was much sleeker and much more aesthetically pleasing to consumers making ASOS a much trendier brand. Their yearly sales dramatically increased due to their new image and therefore it was a very successful procedure.
Their second fire occurred during the summer of 2014. It was a much smaller fire, however it still leads to the brand loosing 20% of their stock and they had to be shut down for two days. ASOS were very clever and successful in how they dealt with the crisis. Because of their major presence on social media, they used it to their advantage on keeping their consumers updated with the issue. They also turned the problem around and made it into a bit of a joke by using humour within their tweets. This was particularly apparent when they returned from their two days offline with a huge 50% sale along with the tweet “The ASOS Sale in ON! It’s up to 50% off and too hot to handle (but absolutely, positively not on fire).” This makes the situation much more light-hearted and appeals to ASOS' target market by showing that the brand has a sense of humour, whilst still upholding their reputation. Furthermore, by ASOS using a sale, it also keeps the brand going as it entices customers to the brand and upholds their trust with their consumers. Consumers will then realise that they have been made a priority by the brand and it is their way of repaying customers for having to wait to make their orders. Conclusively ASOS have used very effective strategies to keep the brand from going bust and upholding their reputation. Both crisis' have been resolved effectively and they still continue to be a top online retailer with a huge customer base.
Explain how CRM tools contribute to effective customer relations
Customer relation management tools such as data collection and personalisation are very effective in the role of customer relations as it allows a brand to tailor their actions to each individual. Along with adhering to the Data Protection Act, ASOS can use the data they have collected from customers and keep it on their data base so they constantly know what are the best methods to use in terms of contacting a customer, getting them involved online and appealing to their likes and dislikes. By being present on all social platforms and having an online chat, customers can contact ASOS for help and get quick and clear responses resolving any issues.
ASOS also send out surveys which may involve customer service surveys. By receiving feedback directly from their customers, ASOS can constantly work on their customer service, making the ASOS shopping experience great for everyone.
Explain the role of community in customer relations
The role of community is important in customer relations as it means that questions can be answered for all to see. If an ASOS consumer has a question about an order or service and they post this online, the response from ASOS is available for everyone to witness, including anyone who may also have the same question. By having online forums, customers can correspond with each other and ASOS creating a helpful and friendly community. ASOS offer customer relations in a community aspect on their Twitter and Facebook accounts where they can answers customers questions and also retweet positive tweets about the brand. People can then follow these accounts, where the tweets will immediately pop up on their feeds and customers can actively get involved.
ASOS also have an online community on their Instagram page @AsSeenOnMe. It allows customers to get involved on Instagram by posting, liking and commenteng on different looks. ASOS can also counter their responses and build up a relationship with their customers. By getting involved in a community, customers are more likely to shop with ASOS over other competitors as after they receive their items, they can post photos and have the opportunity to be featured on the ASOS Instagram page.
Explain how feedback is used for positive customer relations
 We live in a period where customer relations/customer service is an integral part of retail. It is often the case where a bad experience may cause consumers to avoid the brand, therefore it is extremely important to deliver a good service as well as the goods. ASOS as well as other brands use the social media platform Twitter as a prominent form of customer relations. If a consumer has any trouble with an ASOS product or service, they can tweet them at their dedicated help resource @ASOS_HeretoHelp which is well- known to reply extremely promptly. By using a separate account for the customer service, ASOS are effectively not portraying any possible complaints out onto their main twitter account for all to see. It is very clever as other customers online will not see the complaints unless they follow the help account, which most people will not do and predominantly follow the main ASOS account. By taking the unhappy customer away from the main account it will not spread bad feedback for other customers to see, effectively only portraying the best bits of ASOS.
The help account also effectively asks customers to direct message the help team to take them off social media and into a private chat, therefore not spreading negativity online. This particular strategy is effective in terms of not showing ASOS in a bad light and only portraying how good it is as ASOS does certainly not hesitate to retweet positive posts about the ASOS help account. This then acts as a free advertisement to their brand and how well they operate. From all the positive feedback that is being represented online, it attracts new customers as well as returning customers to continue shopping with ASOS ultimately leading to retention and an increase in sales.
Explain how loyalty is used to retain customers
Loyalty is very important as it is one of the main sources for retention. If a brand such as ASOS retains trust from a customer than it is assumed that the customer will continue to return. Loyalty can be accumulated from a number of aspects such as good customer service, good quality of goods and quick delivery time, three things that ASOS are all good at doing. It is aspects like this that lead to customers returning to ASOS and becoming loyal. Another thing that can affect loyalty is loyalty points or discounts for current customers. This is something that ASOS has currently been working on called the 'ASOS A-List voucher points'. "68% of millennials say they wouldn't be loyal to a brand if it doesn't have a good loyalty program". As ASOS' target market are mainly millennials, they have picked up on this and developed a strategy to keep customers returning.
ASOS’ new loyalty points scheme involves collective points and trading in these points for services such as free delivery and big birthday discounts. For every £1, ASOS will give you 5 points, which you will then go on to collect for rewards. Having loyalty points and discounts are important to uphold as some customers may become angry about new customers being offered deals. If this was the case than customers would just continually switch and shop at new brands in order to get the 'first shop discount'. By offering deals to current customers, ASOS can attain their trust and loyalty and customers will continue to shop at ASOS.
Another little method of retaining loyalty is the use of extra treats in the ASOS packages. A lot of ASOS' competitors do this as well, but ASOS are most popular for doing it. They add things such as discounts for other companies in with the order such as a free Graze box, 20% of at Beauty Bay or perhaps a discounted price at a new line that ASOS will be releasing. It is an effective method of retaining customers as they are using other brands without giving them direct competitor discounts so that customers can continue to shop at ASOS for these extra little treats.
Assess the role of public relations in retention marketing
Public relations is important to retention marketing as it involves keeping up the brands reputation. Because of social media and online news, customers are very aware how brands such as ASOS handle PR and their image as they are constantly exposed to on-going news reports. How a brand is perceived in the public, is imperative to a successful business in any sector as it can dictate where a customer decides to shop. By upholding their reputation, ASOS can be sure that they will keep their customers and business running due to the media portraying them in an ethical and positive light.
ASOS began with their main strategy being to re-create celebrity looks, however since their re-branding strategy after their fire crisis is 2005, ASOS have developed as a brand and the tables have turned as now celebrities such as Katy Perry and Taylor Swift even model ASOS stock. By huge celebrities such as Katy Perry and Taylor Swift wearing ASOS stock to big events, this will attract a large audience to ASOS, as consumers have been influenced by these celebrities. ASOS has also been the starting point for many famous models including Cara Delevingne. Both Cara’s and ASOS represent the same type of image meaning that Cara’s fans will want to replicate how Cara looks and they will do this by shopping at ASOS.
Another aspect are the employees at ASOS. Employees at ASOS are integral to public relations are they all enjoy the job they work in. With the average ASOS employee age coming in at 26, which is pretty young, this means that most ASOS workers have a good understanding of how they should platform the brand. “‘We see our customers and ourselves as being part of the same global fashion community and we will only achieve our aim by being obsessive in understanding and fulfilling our customers’ wants and needs.” By having workers that also fit in with their own target market, it means that the way in which the brand is portrayed will be in the interest of the correct consumer, which will then inevitably lead to retention.
In addition, ASOS also work on providing opportunities for disadvantaged youths. “We have always been committed to creating opportunities for young people to fulfil their potential.” Nick Robertson, ASOS Founder said in an interview. They have set up whats called the ASOS Foundation where they work on providing inspiration, training and opportunities for those who are disadvantaged. They offer this service fro these people in the UK, Kenya and also India. By setting up this foundation, not only does it help the disadvantaged, but it helps ASOS be seen in a positive light and is beneficial towards the brands image and PR. Everyone loves a brand with great advocacy, and therefore ASOS can turn customers with an interest into purchasing customers.
And finally, how we will incorporate good PR into our campaign. We will be doing this through promoting the message that anyone can be healthy no matter what size you are. We are also reaching out to those with mental health issues and showing that you can have both a healthy mind and a healthy body. We will be sending 10% of the profits from the activewear range to the MIND charity and also work with health influencers such as Iskra Lawrence, who is well-known for her active protests against the pressure in the media. By promoting this message, the campaign will receive lots of interest and high admiration resulting in good sales and good PR for the ASOS.
Suggest how to personalise a marketing proposition for different customer profiles.
As ASOS appeals to a wide variety of customers, for example, 16-year-old females to 30-year-old males, they have to personalise their different marketing strategies to different audiences. They can do this by sending newsletters via email or post to the specific market they are trying to target. For example, when launching the new activewear range ASOS will send a newsletter to the female segment of their customers as the range is promoting a healthy body image for women. They could also conduct surveys which they would send to women who have already bought activewear from the ASOS website and who might be interested in the new ASOS own brand range, asking them what they would look for in the new range. Loyalty programs are also useful in making the customer feel like they are involved with the brand and personally receiving a good deal which will keep them coming back. ASOS will also host a number of PR events during the run up to the launch of the new collection where customers are able to attend. This will give the customer a personal experience and bridge the gap between the brand and the consumer. For example, ASOS will host a 10k run where all runners will have to be wearing one item of the new activewear range in order to enter. This will improve sales of the new range but also raise awareness about the new collection, as the customers will share their experiences.
ASOS A-List is one way in which ASOS personalises its marketing proposition to appeal all of their different customer profiles regardless of age, gender and interests. This function allows customers to 'earn while they shop'. The more they buy the more points they receive and the more money they get back in the form of an ASOS voucher. This is personal to each customer and each customer is in control when it comes to earning points and redeeming vouchers. ASOS A-List is beneficial to both the customer and the brand as customers are being rewarded for shopping with ASOS and ASOS are keeping their customers by encouraging them to continue to shop with them. It is also important to note that ASOS will always address the customer by their first name in emails so that the customer feels the email is aimed directly at them. As well as this, ASOS also offers its customers 15% off on their birthdays; this makes the customer feel special and valued by the brand. All of the above strategies can be tailored to different customer profiles, this is important for ASOS as they need to appeal to a variety of audiences.
Analyse the relationship between sales and retention marketing.
Retention marketing is extremely important for retailers, as the easiest way to encourage customer growth is to hold on to and not lose current customers. Retention marketing fuels sales as it is targeted towards customers who have already shopped at ASOS. This means they have an active interest in the brand. It is much easier to influence customers who have already shopped at ASOS because they have to enter their email address to make an order. This can lead to sales because once ASOS has a customer’s email address they can send promotional emails to give customers an incentive to shop. If customers have a good experience with ASOS and like the products they order then it is highly likely that they will continue to buy into the brand and create sales, this is why it is important for ASOS to provide a good service. There is a direct correlation between retention marketing efforts and increased sales. An example of this would be when ASOS offer its customers 15% off on their birthdays. By offering a deal ASOS are giving their customers an incentive to spend money and it is highly likely that the majority of birthday offers that go out are acted upon by the customers who receive them. The more retention marketing a company invests in, the more sales they will make because the customer is given an opportunity to come back to the website.
