True Loyalty isn’t created because one business offers customers a better deal than their competitors offer. True Loyalty happens when a customer has deep, meaningful, unquestioned beliefs about a company they buy from or a product they buy.
Today’s newsletter, I believe I am loyal to you, focuses on the connection between belief and loyalty. I’d love your comments, below. Do you agree with me?
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In addition to writing, I spend most of my work time helping companies unleash their potential by creating better connections with their customers. This happens through my speaking events and through Yastrow & Company consulting engagements, where my team and I help companies figure out who they intend to be in the future, and then engage the entire company in creating that future through strong "We" customer relationships.
Before starting Yastrow & Company in the mid-90s I was vice-president of resort marketing for Hyatt Hotels. My experiences in the hotel business showed me clearly that most marketing doesn’t happen in the marketing department. Customers are paying attention to all interactions with a company, not just the promises made in traditional "marketing communications."
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hi, i disagree with your article because i don’t base my loyalty on deep, meaningful, unquestioned beliefs, “relationship” or “rewards” (bribes).
As boring as it sounds, i am only loyal to companies with Quality Products, Good Reliable Service, Relevant Contents.
For Example:
1. Quality Innovative Products (Creative keyboards, Firefox browser, Yahoo Mail, Audiobook from audible.com)
2. Reliable, pleasant & speedy service
-> audible.com - constant email follow-ups until my problems i highlighted was solved
-> Amazon.com - pre-order books were delivered faster than my local bookstore
3. Relevant. Knows me & what i am interested in. (e.g. Amazon recommends, bnet, about.com, audible.com, Seth Godin’s blog)
P.S. coupon helps only if i am satisfied with the previous transactions based on the points above AND the product is a commodity (like books)
rgs.
lhw
Thanks … I appreciate your comments.
Actually, based on all of the consulting work I do, and all of the people I talk to, I don’t think your experience is representative of what really creates True Loyalty for most people. When people’s brand beliefs are limited to “Quality Products, Good Reliable Service, Relevant Contents,” their loyalty is often easily shaken by the next good product or service.
I’m very loyal to audible also … but it’s because I’ve formed unquestioning beliefs about them, followed up with habitual actions, based on how they have created a unique, personalized experience for me. It’s not about transactional loyalty or fleeting offers, it’s about the ongoing conversation I have with them across many interactions.
Hey Steve, IMO, quality products, good reliable service and relevant contents are givens - starting points. Wish most people were as easy to please as you are LHW. Life would be a lot less stressful!
Steve, to your list I would add “community.”
best,
bonnie
Bonnie -
I agree … quality, service, etc. create fleeting loyalty … once competitors reverse engineer your advantages, customers have a reason to jump ship. Most people are harder to please the lhw.
Great point about community … we didn’t need internet-based social networking to show us this power … for years country clubs, churches, synagogues and bowling leagues have created loyalty through community.
LWH - Maybe companies haven’t tried hard enough to earn your true loyalty and help you develop beliefs about them. Think outside the internet. What are your favorite restaurants or coffee shops? What makes them your favorites?
Bonnie - You are right about a sense of community being important to loyalty. In that sense, loyalty is not only a one-to-one relationship, but a one-to-many.
Yes Amanda, I think about third places often. Restaurants or coffee shops.
Third places offer us one-to-some; but fourth places offer us what few ever experience: a guide, a bond, a purpose and a triiibe.
@Steve - Perhaps you’ll consider remodeling this site
as a fourth place. With you as guide.
best,
bonnie