[12/20/2008]
Andrew Arntfield
50% or more of a company’s highly satisfied customers are not strongly loyal.
Brand loyalty requires customer satisfaction, but not the converse: satisfaction does not always drive loyalty. So what can a brand do to keep loyal customers on board?
Lasting loyalty is developed when:
- the interaction goes beyond the corporate standard, and
- when the customer feels that they have been acknowledged as an individual with unique needs.
Often it’s the little things that make the biggest difference: listening well and showing empathy can have a big impact on customer loyalty. Train and empower staff to go beyond operational guidelines, and to “live the brand values” – and recognize and reward them for their successes.
When the “brand values” message is consistently integrated at every customer touch point, trust and loyalty will surely follow.
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