We trust those we know.
It is easy for companies to make claims, so customer reviews matter to most of us when selecting products, vendors and services. But even more important are the recommendations we get from colleagues, friends and family. A recommendation from someone we know goes a long way toward influencing our decision, even if we find more authoritative recommendations online.
The personal touch matters. These are people we know.
“I'm guilty of meticulously shopping around, and as much as I'll read 'professional' reviews over and over, it's usually the recommendation of a respected and well-known friend, family member, or business associate that goes furthest with me,” noted Michael Roden at GetVoIP.com. “Customer recommendations are a strong form of advice.”
That’s why customer referral programs matter. They make a huge difference.
Unified communications firm ShoreTel (News - Alert) is one example of a business VoIP provider that understands the value of referral programs.
ShoreTel aggressively plays off its customer referral program and now brings in 29 percent of its customers from references from other customers.
“Most customer reference managers are happy if they can get even five percent of their customers to be customer references,” noted the company’s customer programs manager, Liz Pedro, in a recent blog post. “I have spoken at customer reference conferences, I have done customer referencing consulting and belong to various boards and groups around customer references and have never heard that high of a number.”
She attributes her success to offering a VoIP solution that is especially easy to use. A good incentive program doesn’t hurt, either.
GetVoIP.com, a single source for VoIP providers, reviews and services, has put together a nice list of incentive programs offered by several VoIP providers, including Nextiva, Vocalocity, Fonality, RingCentral (News - Alert) and 8x8. It breaks down the incentives that each provider offers and what customers must do to take advantage of the programs.
Providers such as RingCentral offers a number of programs catered to various kinds of business, whether affiliates, agents, resellers, franchises or Cisco (News - Alert) partners, while some like 8x8 have an extensive Cloud Services Partner Program but a simpler customer referral program that nonetheless is quite effective because of its solid reward structure. Nextiva gives customers $20 per line recommended, and Vocalocity doles out perks to all involved in the referral process.
Fonality (News - Alert) has both partner and customer referral programs.
“The recommendation of a fellow business really goes a long way, and there's always those people or sites that you trust most in the process of making a decision,” noted Roden at GetVoIP.com.
“It is this that completes a viable circle of marketing, and the main reason companies typically highlight customer success stories, testimonials, and reward those who recommend them to bring in business,” he added.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida. Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert).
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Edited by Rachel Ramsey