Customer loyalty; is it from them or towards them?

Perhaps it is the business that does not show loyalty

“Where is the customer loyalty today?”, is a question that is frequently asked. There was a time where a customer might find your business in the yellow pages. Perhaps the new customer was referred to you by someone that previously had been a customer.

You worked hard; did a good job; delivered on time, and you charged a fair price. From that experience you had a reasonable expectation that the situation would repeat itself. It would repeat enough times for you to provide a reasonable living for yourself and those that worked in your business. It created what would appear to be a form of customer loyalty.

Where is the customer loyalty today? The customer you are seeing today has been on the Internet. They know more about the products and services you offer than ever before. They also know the price of every item you sell by way of the Internet.

Through the Internet they have found every other business within a 150 mile radius they can now do business with; including the new one that is trying to buy business by having prices so low that nobody can compete with. Of course, that business is not going to be in business very long, but in the interim, they are taking business away from your shop. And this does not include online businesses.

After all that you have done for these customers, where is the customer loyalty today? All of this represents a valid observation and a valid question. However, let’s look at the situation from a different view point; that of the customer.

Something ignites the interest of an individual to explore their artistic skills. When they first visit with someone in an art supply store, you can sense their excitement in the conversation as they prepare for their journey. The salesperson, excitedly tells the customer how much they are going to enjoy their new passion – starting with this conversation and the purchase they are making today.

The salesperson helps with this by telling of their passions and endeavors in the arts. As the initial transaction is completed, perhaps we sign them up for our newsletter and share a flyer telling them of the classes we offer.

Over a period of time we begin to see the difference in the aspiring artist and the person who had a passing fad. Isn’t that the way it frequently goes?

We are certain to lose the second person as a future customer. Worse yet, if the art supplies they purchased are sitting out to be seen in their home, the supplies give a start to a conversation about something that is no longer interesting. Definitely not a good referral to be had here.

The first customer is the one who did continue their interest in the arts. While we could look at our newsletter and Facebook postings to be our contact with this person, unfortunately every competitor, including online, can do this.

We sell items that people do not have to have to exist. Sure, someone could say they need them to feel alive. The truth is they really only need food, clothing and shelter. Therefore, we have to connect differently.

We have to be a part of their love for the arts. We have to fulfill the promise that was first made to them by our salesperson as they first came into our business.

If we demonstrate our loyalty to both of the customers we described, we have an opportunity to turn things around with the customer whose passion did not grow. We have an opportunity to grow with the customer who demonstrates a true passion for the arts.

When it comes to a referral, it will surely be to the business that demonstrated their loyalty to the customer.

We can observe a person who demonstrates a loyalty to price. Or, we can enjoy and demonstrate our like-minded loyalty to the arts with a customer.

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