Читать книгу The Power of Loyalty - Roger Brooks B. - Страница 15

Take a quick moment to recall where you have your dry cleaning serviced. There’s a reason you go to a particular cleaner. Whatever the reason, it can be traced back to the loyalty you have toward that business. Unless you live in a rural area, there are a number of dry cleaning businesses to choose from.

I choose to go to Martin Brothers Cleaners. Martin Brothers is not the cheapest, and it is not the closest to my home. I go because I’m satisfied with the cleaning service and because I like the owner, George. I go because George made a connection with me. The first time I went into his store he was polite, he was efficient, and he was friendly. The second time I went in, George called me by name. He also brought out a sealed envelope with my name written on it. In the envelope was $16 in cash he said he found in my pants pocket. In only two visits, George captured me as a customer for life.

Today, more than ten years later, George is as friendly and courteous as he was on my first visit. George’s positive attitude led him to earn my loyalty to him and to his business.

In essence, George’s personality has everything to do with why I am loyal to his dry cleaning business. Although it may be the simplest form of customer loyalty, connecting with customers on a one-to-one basis may be the most important. If George had a personality that didn’t mesh well with his customers or allow him to connect with them in some personal way, there would be a certain percentage of his customer base he would not retain.

Having a positive attitude goes a long way. If the people you have on the front line—the cashiers, the CSRs, the waitstaff, the Wal-Mart greeters, the fuel attendant, the bank teller, or the gallery curator—are not your “A TEAM,” then you’re putting your business at risk right from the start. You may not lose business at the particular moment when the cashier wouldn’t crack a smile; however, you’re losing future business from a potential loyal customer who wants to be treated with respect for choosing your business over your competitor.

If you want to build your loyal base of customers, start by treating customers the way you would want to be treated yourself. Your gut-check is always the best indicator of whether your customers are being treated as well as they should be. Look around, observe how your staff interacts with your customers—you’ll know if there’s room for improvement.

George found that treating people well is the magic formula to his success as a small-business owner. His formula, or his loyalty strategy, consists of being courteous, friendly, efficient, honest, and dry cleaning clothes to the best of his ability. George comes in early, he leaves late, and he works six days a week. He also operates in two locations. Hard work and dedication pay dividends, which leads to earning a customer’s loyalty.

The same basic principles apply whether you are an entrepreneur with a small chain of gas and convenience stores or a large department store with hundreds of locations. Your employees (associates, clerks, CSRs, or whatever you refer to them as) are your first touch point to the consumer. Ensure they do the little things for your customers that will leave a lasting impression and set the groundwork for earning their loyalty.