Brand managers are used to talk about customer touch-points as any moment in the relationship with a client in which an interaction occurs. These can span from the first time the customer is aware about the company and what it offers, up to the service you offer after a purchase has occurred. However, often overlooked is the moment a customer stops consuming from a company; the moment when for any reason, we have to say goodbye.
When I talk about this moment, I don’t just refer to the opportunity to learn if customers are leaving because the company no longer satisfies their needs, or do so poorly. Many company address this as an opportunity to fix the relationship. However, not every customer is leaving for this reason. Some might just need to cancel service (i.e. They are moving to a different location).
This last interaction is just as important as any previous one, because even if these customers no longer bring direct income to the company, they might need the service again at some point, or more importantly, they will keep talking about their experience. It is a fact that people will have a larger tendency to speak about their bad experiences, than rave about the good. If you take so much effort in tailoring the experience of your users, don’t risk having a negative stream of information flowing on the marketplace, on behalf of former customers.
When someone is saying goodbye, the last impression is infinitely more important than the first.
