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The Only Way To Create Loyal Customers

What Makes Us Loyal?. Two things that make him loyal to a brand: A great deal -- a price or unique combination or price and service that no one else can match. [Fast Company Now]

It seems everyone has their own idea of what creates loyal customers. No matter what you've read in the past, loyalty is created by the unique value you bring customers and by the delivery of customer desired results. Doing these two things will increase the number of repeat customers you have the pleasure of serving.

Your Unique Value That Isn't Available Anywhere Else

Value could be in your price, however, you want to make a profit, so place your unique value in what results you'll produce for a customer. These results come from how you perform the work, the unique experience you bring, and what other customers have achieved as a result of what you do.

When you can clearly convey your unique value, that alone often justifies being in the higher price brackets for your industry. Your company doesn't have to be like every other company. After all, if you're doing things just like everyone else, why should customers ever do business with you.

Questions to ask when considering your companies unique value:

1. What is it that we do that no one else in our industry can duplicate? Why?
2. Is it clear in to every employee how what we do influences our unique value?
3. Who else needs to know about what makes us different than any other?
4. Is our unique value real, can it be conveyed visually, or in other mediums?
5. Why is this our unique value? What philosophy governs our decision?

Your Emphasis on What Results a Customer Desires

Whether it's the way you handle a complaint, or deliver a service, you must provide what a customer desires. Not what you think they should receive, but what a customer expects to receive. Of course, you can shape customer expectations by educating them about certain purchase criteria to base their decisions.

In all areas of your company it is critical to deliver what customers want. Your product should solve problems customers are concerned most about. When a customer has a complaint about your company it should be welcomed with open arms, but resolve quickly according to how the customer wants it addressed (not necessarily according to your policy.)

Questions to ask about focusing on customer desired results:

1. What is it that our customers really want? How do we measure it?
2. Who directly benefits from the solution we offer besides the buyer?
3. How can the customer reduce costs or increase revenue with what we offer?
4. What do customers expect at each interaction point? How does it differ?
5. Do employees have bounds that allow flexibility in customer solutions?

Loyalty is a by-product of a strong customer relationship, it's required to keep customers returning year after year. You can't buy loyalty, you can't put it in a program-- you can only earn loyalty through the two area shared here.

Now take a few minutes to digest the ten questions presented, really talk them over with your team. You'll find new questions will come to the surface during implementation. In answering these questions you'll discover insights that will keep customers coming back for more.

/ business-success | management-strategy /

By Justin Hitt at December 9, 2003 4:10 PM  Subscribe in a reader