Using Data to Demonstrate Customer Success

Wow, I’ve walked the length of Japan.

The team at Fitbit sent me that nugget of data recently, and it’s a great example of value nurturing using data.

Fitbit is all about collecting and sharing data. It reminds me if I’ve met my goal for each day and week. But the company goes further by proactively sharing my cumulative progress. Helpfully, it puts large numbers into a meaningful context, like the length of Japan. And the company invites me to share that success with others in my social networks.

Nurturing Customer Value with Data

Value nurturing is the practice of helping customers realize value from your solutions long after the sale. (See the previous blog, Value Nurturing: Marketing Meets the Subscription Economy.) It’s one thing to help people be successful with your solution. The next step is to help them understand the value of your solution by sharing data with them.

People use fitness tracking devices like the Fitbit to monitor and measure activities; that’s the functionality they expect from the device. But why do people want to monitor and measure their steps? Because they value exercise and want motivation to exercise more. Increased activity is the ultimate objective.

By showing me the data about how much I’ve walked, the Fitbit team is reinforcing this deeper value. It’s pointing out my own success, using data it collects.

This is a core value nurturing practice: helping people recognize the value of being a customer.

Consumer-based businesses use this strategy frequently. For example, every time I check out at a Safeway using my loyalty card, the cashier tells me in person how much I’ve saved. That reinforces the value of using that loyalty card – a subscription I pay for with my personal information.

Here’s the challenge for marketers: can you find ways to nurture your existing customers with data you’re already collecting? When people are having success with your solution, can you do the math for them and let them know how well they’re doing? Do you celebrate successes, even the small ones?

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