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Improve customer retention with these automation ideas

By Ellie Huizenga · July 12, 2022
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Did you know that retaining customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones? It's true—you save money in the long run by giving your customers a pleasant experience. Plus, improving client retention often brings in new leads, too (with five-star reviews and word-of-mouth referrals). 

With Zapier, you can automate the processes—like follow-ups and thank yous—that make your customers feel valued and keep them coming back for more. 

Table of contents

Stay updated about customers

Knowing where leads are in your sales pipeline means you can ensure a smooth customer journey. This helps reduce churn and increase retention because you can act on the most up-to-date information about your leads and clients. 

Use automation to send notifications to one centralized place, ensuring you and your team can take the right next step.

To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on the button. It only takes a few minutes to set up. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.

Send notifications to your chat app

Create Slack messages for new Salesforce leads

  • Salesforce logo
  • Slack logo
Salesforce + Slack
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    If your team uses Slack for internal communication, you can use Zapier to automatically create Slack notifications of new leads created in Salesforce. You can even nominate the channel in Slack to use in the integration. Once this integration has been set up all new Salesforce contacts, this integration will automatically create a Slack notification to your team.

    Create MySQL rows for new 123FormBuilder submissions

    • 123FormBuilder logo
    • MySQL logo
    123FormBuilder + MySQL
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      While you may be gathering data in 123FormBuilder easily, using it to update your databases can be a challenge. The problem is solved, however, if you set up this integration with MySQL. After that, any new 123FormBuilder submission will be sent to the MySQL database you define, adding a new row with all its data so your back-end is updated and accurate at all times.

      Send Slack channel messages for new Microsoft Dynamics leads

      • Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM logo
      • Slack logo
      Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM + Slack
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        Celebrate your new leads in Slack with your teammates, then take immediate action. Use this Zap to automatically send Slack messages to a certain channel whenever new Microsoft Dynamics leads are created. That way, your teammates can celebrate the new lead then get in touch right away!

        Send Microsoft Teams channel messages for new Mailchimp subscribers

        • Mailchimp logo
        • Microsoft Teams logo
        Mailchimp + Microsoft Teams
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          Like celebrating small wins? Then celebrate each new subscriber with this Mailchimp-Microsoft Teams integration. It automatically posts to a team channel whenever someone subscribes to your company newsletter. It's a concrete way to show how your company is growing!

          Send notifications to your inbox or phone

          Send Gmail email alerts for new Salesforce leads

          • Salesforce logo
          • Gmail logo
          Salesforce + Gmail
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            Sometimes you and/or your colleagues need to know when a new lead is added to a Salesforce account. Use Zapier to watch your Salesforce account and generate a Gmail alert when a new lead is added. All new leads added after you set up this integration will trigger a Gmail alert. The email can be sent to multiple recipients.

            Send Gmail emails about new Pipedrive CRM deals

            • Pipedrive logo
            • Gmail logo
            Pipedrive + Gmail
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              You've just closed a deal in Pipedrive. Now, let your Gmail account automatically send you an email notification. That way, you can send an email notification to yourself or your team, or let your customer know the deal is done.

              Send SMS messages when new HubSpot contacts are added

              • HubSpot logo
              • SMS by Zapier logo
              HubSpot + SMS by Zapier
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                Coordinating follow-ups with your mobile team can mean a ton of inefficient, time-consuming messaging work. Stay nimble with this integration. It automatically sends an SMS message to a specified number whenever a new contact is created in HubSpot. Keep your teams up to date and ready to convert leads, hands-free.

                Get SMS messages from Infobip for new accounts on Microsoft Dynamics CRM

                • Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM logo
                • Infobip logo
                Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM + Infobip
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                  Be sure to keep track of your business data by automating notifications whenever something important happens, like a new account. After it's been set up, this integration will automatically send you an SMS message via Infobip whenever a new account is created on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, ensuring you catch every one even if you're on the move.

                  Want to build your own notification workflow? Discover how to build a custom notification bot for new leads

                  Reach out at the right time

                  Automatically following up with leads means you can scale your outreach efforts without sacrificing the quality of your communications. To keep your business top of mind, send automated check-ins with customers from your email. 

                  Send weekly emails with Gmail

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                  • Gmail logo
                  Schedule by Zapier + Gmail
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                    Use Zapier to automatically send weekly messages, reminders, tasks, or even document updates via Gmail. With this integration, you choose a weekly schedule and a Gmail message, and Zapier will then send that email each week on the day and time that you select.

                    Create Draft Emails to Send on a Schedule

                    • Schedule by Zapier logo
                    • Gmail logo
                    Schedule by Zapier + Gmail
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                      If you find yourself sending the same email every day, week, or month, with the help of Zapier you can set up that email to create a draft for you on a schedule. Every day, weeky or month, the email will generate as a draft, and you can review before sending.

                      Draft Microsoft Outlook emails on a schedule

                      • Schedule by Zapier logo
                      • Microsoft Outlook logo
                      Schedule by Zapier + Microsoft Outlook
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                        Have your email draft at the ready when you need it most. This Zap will automatically create an email draft on a recurring schedule. Just decide how often you want the integration to run—such as daily, weekly, or monthly—and customize your message.

                        You can also add customers who've made a purchase to new email nurtures. That way, you send them content focused on what they want to buy next (or upgrade to) instead of trying to resell them the product they just bought. 

                        Add new Stripe customers to Mailchimp lists

                        • Stripe logo
                        • Mailchimp logo
                        Stripe + Mailchimp
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                          A smart way to stay in touch with customers is to add them to an email marketing list. This integration will automatically add your Stripe customers to Mailchimp for you so that you can keep your outreach steady, with no added clicks or keystrokes.

                          Add or update ActiveCampaign contacts with new Stripe payments

                          • Stripe logo
                          • ActiveCampaign logo
                          Stripe + ActiveCampaign
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                            If they're willing to pay you, you should be getting your message out to them without fail. Let us scour your payments in case there's someone you miss. Once you've set up this Zap, it will automatically trigger with every new Stripe charge, adding new contacts to ActiveCampaign or updating customers that were already present.

                            Create or update HubSpot contacts from new paid orders on Shopify

                            • Shopify logo
                            • HubSpot logo
                            Shopify + HubSpot
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                              Want to make sure you can always tell your paying customers apart from those who aren't? Set up this integration and we'll help with that, monitoring Shopify for you and automatically updating a HubSpot contact with the information from any new paid orders, or creating entirely new contacts if no match is found.

                              Ask customers for feedback

                              Getting feedback from existing customers can help you improve your product and your buyer experience. Plus, when that feedback comes in the form of positive reviews, it can help you generate new clients.

                              Set up a Zap that automatically sends emails or surveys to your customers after they make a purchase. That way, the feedback can roll in—without needing to send more messages manually. 

                              Add charged Stripe customers to Mailchimp as subscribers

                              • Stripe logo
                              • Mailchimp logo
                              Stripe + Mailchimp
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                                Automatically manage your Mailchimp lists by utilizing this Stripe Mailchimp integration to add charged Stripe customers to a Mailchimp list as a subscriber. After you set up this integration, every time there is a new Stripe payment, a Mailchimp subscriber is created in a Mailchimp list that you specify.

                                Send Delighted surveys when deals are updated in Pipedrive

                                • Pipedrive logo
                                • Delighted logo
                                Pipedrive + Delighted
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                                  This automation will trigger following an updated deal stage in Pipedrive. Once triggered, a Delighted survey will be sent to the customer. This will assist with automating post-deal feedback.

                                  Add new QuickBooks Online customers to Mailchimp as subscribers

                                  • QuickBooks Online logo
                                  • Mailchimp logo
                                  QuickBooks Online + Mailchimp
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                                    If you need to send standard and follow up emails to your QuickBooks Online customers, you can use this Quickbooks Mailchimp integration to automatically start adding new QuickBooks Online customers to Mailchimp as new subscribers on a Mailchimp list.

                                    Thank customers and clients

                                    By expressing gratitude, you can ensure customers feel appreciated and foster long-term relationships. But when you're maintaining a high-level customer experience, it can be hard to bring on more clients—there just isn't enough time to send every message manually. 

                                    Use automation to send thank-you notes, texts, emails, and even gifts, so you can keep bringing in more customers—without sacrificing your customer experience. 

                                    Send clients thank-you emails and texts

                                    Send Twilio texts for new HubSpot contact property changes

                                    • HubSpot logo
                                    • Twilio logo
                                    HubSpot + Twilio
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                                      A quick follow-up call to a sales prospect can be the difference between a won and lost opportunity. This HubSpot -Twilio integration helps you get the wins by automatically texting your team when you change a contact property, such as calling a person a "lead."

                                      Add Mailchimp subscribers when new Pipedrive deals change

                                      • Pipedrive logo
                                      • Mailchimp logo
                                      Pipedrive + Mailchimp
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                                        Create brand new subscribers from different stages in Pipedrive. Use this automation, and when a Pipedrive deal reaches a new stage, Zapier will automatically add new subscribers in Mailchimp. This is a perfect integration for adding new people to your email lists as they get closer to becoming a customer or client.

                                        Send clients thank-you gifts

                                        Add Printfection gift URL to new leads in Salesforce

                                        • Salesforce logo
                                        • Printfection logo
                                        • Salesforce logo
                                        Salesforce + Printfection
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                                          Want to send gifts to your new leads? Easily add a unique Printfection giveaway gift URL to every new lead created in Salesforce. This is the perfect way to excite new leads in your sales workflow, and you can easily go the extra mile.

                                          Send Giftbit rewards for new contact property changes in HubSpot

                                          • HubSpot logo
                                          • Giftbit logo
                                          HubSpot + Giftbit
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                                            Get more leads to take a call or join a demo with a gift card incentive. This automatic workflow eliminates the manual process of ordering gift cards for leads, referral programs, and other initiatives. When the specified property change is added to a new contact record in HubSpot, the contact will receive a gift card reward by email automatically.

                                            Discover more ways to automatically thank your customers.

                                            Keep customers coming back with automation

                                            Automation takes the administrative and recurring tasks off your plate. That way, you can maintain a high-level customer experience that keeps your customers coming back—and have more time to grow your business. 

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                                            A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'