How Customer Engagement Models Help Businesses Build Lasting Relationships

How do brands cut through the noise, when customers today are flooded with more choice and information than ever before? A great product or service is no longer enough. What truly sets businesses apart is how they connect with their audience and that’s where customer engagement models come in.

These models help businesses connect meaningfully by understanding customer needs, preferences, and behaviors. B2B and B2C engagement models may differ, but the right strategy does more than drive interactions—it builds trust, loyalty, and long-term retention.

This article explores key customer engagement models with real-world examples to help you build an effective strategy.

What is a customer engagement model?

Why do customer engagement models matter?

4 Real-life customer engagement models giving winning results

How to choose the right customer engagement model

FAQs

Final thoughts

What is a customer engagement model?

A customer engagement model is a framework for building customer relationships at every stage of their journey in order to drive acquisition, monetization, and retention.

The purpose of a customer engagement model is to create a positive experience for individuals, so that they remain loyal, keep coming back, and recommend you to others. It helps make your brand stand out through meaningful customer connections.

Why do customer engagement models matter?

A well-designed customer engagement model can improve many metrics, including trial conversions, customer satisfaction, revenue per customer, and retention.

Rather than waiting for customers to engage, businesses can be proactive—offering support, gathering feedback, and leveraging data-driven insights to improve continuously. A cross-channel approach makes this even more effective as customers interact with brands across a variety of channels.

With the right customer engagement model, you can:

• Create seamless, cross-channel experiences: Customers interact with brands across multiple channels—email, social media, live chat, and in-store. A well-defined engagement model focuses on consistency, value, and relevance across touchpoints.
• Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty: Meaningful interactions strengthen trust and keep customers coming back.
• Drive higher lifetime value (LTV) and retention: Engaged customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend a brand to their friends.

What does a B2B customer engagement model look like?

A B2B customer engagement model is a strategic framework designed to foster meaningful relationships between businesses and their customers throughout the customer journey. B2B engagement emphasizes building trust, understanding complex needs, and delivering tailored solutions that drive long-term partnerships. This model typically involves a cross-channel approach, utilizing various touchpoints such as email, webinars, personalized content, and direct sales interactions to create a seamless experience for customers.

Key components of a successful B2B customer engagement model include identifying high-value actions (HVAs) that indicate deeper engagement, such as attending a demo, requesting a proposal, or participating in a feedback session. Businesses should also segment their audience to tailor communications effectively, so that messaging resonates with different stakeholders within client organizations. Additionally, leveraging data analytics to monitor engagement metrics—like customer lifetime value (CLV) and retention rates—enables companies to refine their strategies continuously.

Ultimately, a robust B2B customer engagement model not only enhances client satisfaction and loyalty but helps drive revenue growth by aligning business objectives with customer needs.

4 Real-life customer engagement model examples giving winning results

Finger clickin’ good: How KFC India used customer engagement models to drive revenue

KFC, with over 30,000 restaurants worldwide, has more than 1,000 outlets in India, a key growth market. To boost engagement and conversions on its mobile app, KFC India sought innovative ways to enhance customer interactions without heavy technical investments.

The challenge

KFC India aimed to increase app engagement and conversions while reactivating its existing customer base.

The solution

Leveraging India's growing online gaming trend, KFC India launched the "Bucket It" campaign—a gamified experience offering rewards like free menu items and discounts. The game was promoted through:

• In-app messages (IAMs): Daily prompts redirected users to the game.
• Push notifications: Sent daily to users who hadn't redeemed rewards in the past three days.
• Emails: Dispatched biweekly to users with unredeemed rewards.

SMS: Biweekly messages targeted users likely to engage in new transactions and reminded those who hadn't responded in seven days.

Each communication was personalized using Liquid with unique coupon codes and offer details. To amplify the campaign's reach, KFC India also utilized targeted advertising on Facebook and Google. Real-time performance management was achieved through partnerships with Branch for tracking and Snowflake for data management, allowing continuous optimization based on user interactions.

The Results

• 22% increase in average daily orders per store.
• 23% lift in daily revenue per store.
• 22% growth in new users.
• 27% increase in repeat orders.

Game sessions from in-app message redirects tripled, driving 80% of all sessions, while SMS engagement saw a 20% higher conversion rate than typical campaigns.

Treasure trove: How Snoonu unearthed revenue growth with gamified experiences

​Snoonu, Qatar’s fastest-growing tech company, provides a one-stop shopping and delivery solution. To counter seasonal slowdowns and keep users engaged, Snoonu sought creative ways to drive app interactions.

The challenge

Snoonu needed cost-effective strategies to increase engagement and retention, especially during seasonal declines.

The solution

Snoonu introduced gamified in-app experiences powered by Braze’s customer engagement platform and Braze Alloys partner Amplitude. Two key campaigns drove engagement:

• World Cup Flag Collection Game: Users collected 32 country flags by ordering from specific restaurants (e.g., ordering Mexican food earned the Mexican flag). Completing the set entered them into a draw to win 5,000 QAR.
• Ramadan "Order and Win Gold" Game: Users collected treasure chests by ordering from select restaurant categories. Completing the set gave them a chance to win 300 grams of gold.

The campaigns used custom attributes and webhooks to track progress and deliver personalized in-app messages, emails, and push notifications.

The results

• 30% increase in orders per user.
• 40%+ revenue growth.
• 10% increase in average order value.

By gamifying engagement, Snoonu increased order frequency, spending, and long-term customer retention.

Bon Appétit: How mon-marché.fr served up smarter engagement

Mon-marché.Fr is a Paris-based online grocer delivering fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more to households in the city and surrounding areas. Operating 15 hours a day, seven days a week, it offers a convenient way to access high-quality groceries.

The challenge

Mon-marché.Fr wanted to enhance engagement and increase orders through personalized messaging but faced challenges that a lot of businesses in the CPG industry do, including integrating external data without dedicated technical resources.

The solution

Using Braze Data Transformation, mon-marché.fr automated data imports, enabling seamless personalization without requiring manual integration.

This approach removed the need for manual API calls and third-party tools, simplifying data integration. With access to Net Promoter Scores (NPS), product reviews, and communication preferences, the team could create more personalized campaigns.

For example, they launched the "It's Time to Order" campaign, using Braze Connected Content to send tailored reminders based on customer preferences.

The results

Leveraging Braze Data Transformation led to significant improvements:

• 43% increase in orders placed, driven by personalized reminders.
• 21% push open rate, with engaging and relevant content improving customer interactions.

Grounds for success: How Dutch Bros brewed up 230% ROI with Braze

Dutch Bros, an Oregon-based drive-thru coffee company, is known for its handcrafted beverages and strong customer relationships. With over 800 locations across the US, the brand prioritizes meaningful interactions.

The challenge

Dutch Bros needed to enhance its digital customer experience to match the personalized feel of its physical locations. However, fragmented messaging platforms caused inconsistent interactions and higher operational costs. The company sought a unified solution to manage the user lifecycle, segment audiences, and track campaign performance in real time.

The solution

Dutch Bros partnered with Braze, including Technical Account Management (TAM) and Support Engagement Lead services, to unify SMS, email, push notifications, and in-app messaging into a single platform. This allowed them to deliver personalized, product-based messages tailored to customer preferences.

Using Braze Canvas, Dutch Bros built cross-channel, dynamic campaigns that engaged customers at key moments, strengthening relationships and enhancing the digital experience.

The results

The campaign delivered impressive outcomes:

• 230% increase in ROI from CRM campaigns, driven by enhanced personalization and targeted messaging.
• 31% cost savings by consolidating multiple messaging platforms, reducing operational costs, and eliminating redundancies.

How to choose the right client engagement model

Whether you're transitioning from another platform or building a customer engagement model from the ground up, planning is everything. Think of it like mapping out a road trip—when you know your destination, it’s a lot easier to chart the best route. The same goes for choosing the right customer engagement model—having a clear strategy upfront makes execution smoother, more efficient, and more impactful.

By figuring out your engagement approach early, you can reduce implementation costs, streamline operations, and set your team up for long-term success. To help you get started, we’ve outlined four simple steps that can help build a strong, scalable engagement model that delivers real results.

Step 1: Define your business metrics—know your "why"

Before designing a customer engagement model, clarify what success looks like for your business. Your industry, business model, and long-term vision shape your goals, but the challenge is making sure engagement efforts align with them.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) can help guide your strategy:

• Conversion rates: How well are you turning prospects into customers?
• Customer lifetime value (LTV): Are you maximizing long-term revenue?
• Return on investment (ROI): Are engagement efforts driving growth?
• Open rates and click-through rates (CTR): Is your messaging resonating?
• Monthly active users (MAU) and unique visitors (MUV): Are customers engaged?
• Retention and churn rate: Are you nurturing lasting relationships?
• Customer loyalty: How often do customers return, refer, or advocate for your brand?

Step 2: Identify your high-value actions—know your "what"

Not all customer actions are equal. High-value actions (HVAs) indicate deeper engagement and drive conversions, loyalty, and retention. Identifying these actions helps refine your engagement strategy.

Examples of HVAs:

• Downloading an app
• Joining a loyalty program
• Referring a friend
• Completing a profile
• Viewing specific content
• Opting in for push messaging
• Favoriting items
• Using a promo code

Once you’ve mapped out the HVAs that align with your key metrics, you can create targeted campaigns to encourage these behaviors.

For example, an eCommerce brand tracking product favorites can retarget users with personalized promotions. If a customer views a product page multiple times, they’re a prime audience for dynamic messaging or a limited-time discount.

Step 3: Identify your active and power users—know your "who"

Not all users engage the same way. Some interact occasionally, while others are highly active and deeply invested. Defining these groups helps tailor engagement strategies.

An active user might log in weekly, complete key actions, or engage with messages. Power users—your most valuable customers—frequently purchase, spend more time in-app, or interact across multiple channels.

Beyond engaging active users, consider reactivating lapsed ones. Segmenting users by session frequency, last login date, or purchase history allows for personalized re-engagement strategies. The goal is not just reaching more people but reaching the right people at the right time.

Step 4: Choose your engagement channels—know your "where"

Customers engage in different ways, so meeting them on the right channels is key. A mix of in-product and out-of-product messaging creates a seamless experience.

Key channels to consider:

• Mobile push: Real-time updates and reminders
• In-App messages (IAMs): Engage users while they are active in your app
• Web push: Reconnect with users as they browse
• In-browser messaging: Keep users engaged without disrupting their session
• Content Cards: Deliver persistent, non-intrusive messages in your app
• Email: Ideal for promotions, storytelling, and re-engagement
• SMS: Best for urgent updates, limited-time offers, and transactional messages

Choosing the right mix means messaging reaches users where they are most likely to engage.

Bonus step: AI-driven customer engagement models

By utilizing AI-driven insights and personalized experiences, brands can connect with their customers on a deeper level to better achieve business goals. Here’s how to incorporate AI into your customer engagement model:

1. Enhancing Personalization: AI enables brands to analyze vast amounts of customer data, allowing for better personalized messaging and experiences. By understanding individual preferences and behaviors, you can tailor your communications to resonate with each customer, increasing engagement and conversion rates.
2. Predictive Insights: AI tools can predict customer behavior by analyzing historical data and identifying trends. This predictive capability allows you to anticipate customer needs and proactively engage them at the right moments, whether through targeted promotions or personalized recommendations.
3. Automated Engagement: With AI, you can automate various aspects of customer engagement, such as sending personalized messages based on user actions or preferences. For example, if a customer frequently browses a specific category, AI can trigger tailored promotions or content to encourage conversion.
4. Optimizing Engagement Channels: AI can analyze which channels are most effective for each individual customer, and then message them on that channel.
5. Continuous Learning and Improvement: AI systems learn from customer interactions, allowing for continuous optimization of engagement strategies. By analyzing the performance of different campaigns and messages, AI can provide insights that help refine future efforts so your engagement model evolves with your audience.

By incorporating AI-driven customer engagement models into your strategy, you can enhance personalization, improve operational efficiency, and ultimately drive stronger customer relationships. As you explore these opportunities, remember that the goal is to create meaningful interactions that foster loyalty and long-term success.

Customer engagement framework and models FAQS

How can businesses measure the effectiveness of their customer engagement model?

Businesses can track success by monitoring key metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge customer loyalty, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) to measure long-term revenue potential, and engagement rate to see how actively users interact with content and campaigns. Regularly analyzing these insights helps refine strategies and improve customer relationships over time.

Is investing in a customer engagement model cost-effective for small businesses?

Yes, investing in a customer engagement mode is cost-effective for small businesses. You don’t need massive budgets to build strong engagement. Automated email campaigns, personalized social media interactions, and targeted messaging can boost retention and customer satisfaction without heavy upfront costs. Even small, strategic efforts can make a big impact.

What tools or software can help implement a customer engagement model?

Customer engagement platforms (like Braze), can help businesses track customer behavior, automate interactions, and optimize engagement at scale. It might also be helpful to have customer data platforms (CDPs), data warehouses, analytics tools, and other tools to bring your customer engagement strategy to the next level.

What are customer engagement models?

Customer engagement models are strategic frameworks that define how businesses interact with their audience at different stages of the customer journey. These models help brands build meaningful relationships, enhance satisfaction, and drive long-term loyalty.

Final Thoughts

The right customer engagement model isn’t just a strategy—it’s the foundation for building lasting relationships and driving sustainable growth. Whether you’re a fast-scaling startup or a well-established enterprise, aligning your engagement efforts with a structured approach can lead to more meaningful interactions, higher retention, and greater revenue impact.

By understanding your customers, leveraging data-driven insights, and choosing the best mix of personalization and automation, you can build engagement that exceeds expectations.

Ready to take your customer engagement to the next level? Braze helps brands create personalized, real-time interactions across their favorite channels—so you can build stronger relationships with your customers.

Forward-Looking Statements

This blog post contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the performance of and expected benefits from Braze and its products. These forward-looking statements are based on the current assumptions, expectations and beliefs of Braze, and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Further information on potential factors that could affect Braze results are included in the Braze Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2024, and the other public filings of Braze with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this blog post represent the views of Braze only as of the date of this blog post, and Braze assumes no obligation, and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.