While many businesses are searching for complex solutions to enhance customer experience, reality shows that it’s the smallest details that make the biggest difference. The question isn’t “how to make it grand,” but “how to make it right and sufficient.”
Context: The New Battle in Retail
Growing Challenges
The current retail market is facing an unprecedented fierce battle for customers. Digital advertising costs continue to rise – CPM increases an average of 20-30% annually on Facebook, CPC for retargeting rises 15-25% yearly on Google. Meanwhile, conversion rates are gradually declining due to banner blindness and ad fatigue phenomena.
Today’s customers, especially younger generations, have been “educated” by major e-commerce platforms about service standards. They expect absolute transparency, instant responses, and complete control over their shopping experience.
The Power of Word of Mouth
According to Nielsen research, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than traditional advertising. This means a negative experience not only loses one customer for the business but can potentially affect many other potential customers.
Current Reality: Most Businesses Are Still “Struggling”
Silent Problems Quietly Eroding Customer Experience in Retail
1. Fragmented Data – Customers Are Scattered
Customer information is scattered everywhere: from sales team Excel files, fanpage messages to internal sales software. Without a holistic view, businesses are only “seeing part of” the customer journey – and missing optimization opportunities.
2. Blind Experience After Payment
When customers complete payment, many businesses leave them in a state of “waiting without knowing what’s happening.” Every message asking “where is my order?” is an indicator that the delivery journey lacks transparency and hasn’t built trust.
3. “Sell and Done” Mindset
A common mistake: thinking post-sale care is a cost rather than an opportunity. In reality, this is precisely the phase that helps increase lifetime value and turn buyers into advocates.
Three Common Misconceptions
Misconception #1: “Customers who bought will naturally return” Reality: Customers have hundreds of other choices. Without reminders and care, they’ll forget your brand very quickly.
Misconception #2: “Customer care is expensive” Reality: The cost to retain an existing customer is 5-7 times lower than the cost to find a new customer.
Misconception #3: “Complex solutions are needed to be effective” Reality: 80% of effectiveness comes from 20% of the simplest tasks.
Must-Have #1: Transparent Shipping Process
Why This Is a Must-Have Requirement?
API integration with shipping units is no longer “nice-to-have” but has become “must-have.” When customers complete payment, they immediately need to know:
- Order has been confirmed
- Expected delivery time
- Which shipping unit will deliver
- How to track progress
Ideal Scenario
Right after ordering: “Thank you [Customer Name], [Shop Name] has received your order. We expect to deliver to you within [Expected Time].”
When handed over to shipping unit: “Your order has been packaged and is on its way with [Shipping Company]. Tracking code: [Code]. Track at: [Link]”
Before delivery: “Shipper [Name] – Phone [Number] will deliver to you today. Please keep your phone handy!”
Measurable Results
- 70% reduction in calls asking about order status
- 40% reduction in order cancellation rate due to anxiety
- 25% reduction in customer service processing time
- Eliminate fraud concerns, build solid trust
Must-Have #2: The Art of Post-Delivery Care
Golden Moment: 24 Hours After Receiving Products
The moment customers receive their products is the “moment of truth” to strengthen relationships. They have the most positive emotions about the brand and are ready to share their experience.
Standard Message Scenario
Message sent 2-4 hours after receiving goods:
“Hi [Customer Name]! 👋
Hope you’re satisfied with [Product Name] from [Shop Name]!
As a thank you, here’s an exclusive 10% discount code for your next order: [Personal Code]
💝 Valid for 30 days 💝 Applicable to all products 💝 Can combine with other promotions
Questions about the product? Reply directly to this message!
Thank you for trusting [Brand Name] ❤️”
Why 10% and 30 Days?
- 10%: Attractive enough to encourage action but doesn’t significantly impact profit
- 30 days: Creates mild urgency, encouraging early action
- Personal code: Helps track effectiveness and creates special feeling for customers
Retention Vs. Retargeting: Undeniable Numbers (for references)
| Metric | Retention Marketing | Retargeting Ads |
| Cost per conversion | $12-25 | $45-80 |
| Conversion rate | 15-25% | 2-5% |
| Customer lifetime value | 3-5x higher | Baseline |
| ROI | 300-500% | 150-200% |
Implementation Roadmap
Phase 1: Building Foundation (Months 1-3)
Objective: Unify customer data and have a 360-degree view.
Specific Actions:
- Select and implement suitable CRM system
- Consolidate customer data from various sources
- Train staff to use new system
- Establish data collection and management processes
Phase 2: First Results Harvest (Months 3-6)
Objective: Create quick improvements and prove ROI.
Weeks 1-2: Logistics Integration
- Choose 1-2 main shipping units
- Register API and test connections
- Set up automatic shipping order creation
Weeks 3-4: Notification Setup
- Write templates for each order status
- Test process with real orders
- Measure and optimize message read rates
Weeks 5-8: Post-Sale Care
- Set up automatic thank you messages
- Create discount code system for existing customers
- Monitor usage rates and adjust
Phase 3: Advanced Personalization (Months 6-12)
Objective: Increase conversion rates through personalization.
Specific Actions:
- Segment customers based on behavior (VIP, new, inactive)
- Create separate message campaigns for each segment
- Develop product recommendation system based on purchase history
- A/B test messages to optimize effectiveness
Phase 4: Building Loyalty (Ongoing)
Objective: Maximize Customer Lifetime Value and create brand ambassadors.
Specific Actions:
- Deploy loyalty customer program
- Use AI to predict needs and suggest products
- Develop customer community
- Turn customers into brand advocates
Key Takeaways: The 80/20 Principle in Customer Experience
80% of effectiveness comes from 20% of basic work:
- Transparent order status notifications
- Thank you messages after successful delivery
- Customer support when issues arise
- Encouraging repeat purchases
Important Metrics to Track
Immediate Metrics:
- Message notification read rate
- Number of calls asking about order status
- Customer service processing time
- Order cancellation rate
Long-term Metrics:
- Customer retention rate
- Repeat purchase rate
- Customer lifetime value
- Net Promoter Score
Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcomplicating: Start with the simplest tasks
- Not measuring: What can’t be measured can’t be improved
- Lack of consistency: Customer experience needs consistent maintenance
- Forgetting the ultimate goal: Good CX is for increasing retention and CLV, not for “looking pretty”
Conclusion: Simple But Not Easy
Excellent customer experience doesn’t come from sophisticated technology or complex strategies. It comes from doing well the most basic things customers expect – and doing them consistently and reliably.
Two things you can do today:
- Let customers know where their order is – Transparent, instant, reliable
- Thank them after receiving goods and invite them back – Sincere, valuable, proper timing
The era of “burning money” on ineffective advertising campaigns is over. The future belongs to businesses that know how to invest in their most valuable asset: relationships with current customers.
This journey requires patience, long-term vision, and commitment from leadership. But with a clear roadmap and systematic implementation, every business can build a loyal customer ecosystem, creating sustainable competitive advantage in the digital age.
It’s that simple. But this very simplicity creates the big difference between successful businesses and those still “struggling” to find complex solutions for simple problems.
Tvia Collab – Martech Solutions Consulting
📍Office: 2nd Floor, 06 Vo Van Kiet Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 01, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
🌐 Website: https://tviacollab.com
📞 Hotline: 0933 403 565
📧 Email: contact@tviacollab.com