Attracting Loyalty from the New Customer – Part 3(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)
This is part 3 in a 5 part series on how to attract loyalty from customers in our new and changed world.
There are five key loyalty drivers we find fit most customers most of the time about most services.
Here is driver #3:
Understand Me
We often think of service as the process of meeting a customer’s need. But, it goes much deeper than that. All needs are derived from a problem to be solved. Great service providers are great listeners. They know that unearthing the essence of the problem will point to a solution that goes beyond the superficial transaction. It takes building the kind of rapport with customers that engenders trust. It entails standing in the customers shoes to get a fine bead on their hopes and aspirations.
Understanding the customer takes more than simply sending out a survey or running an occasional focus group. It means viewing every person who comes in contact with the customer as a vital listening post—a scout able to gather valuable intelligence about the customer’s every changing requirements and provide early warning about their issues and concerns. It involves installing a wide range of tools and techniques for customer intelligence gathering. Smart organizations gather and mine the intelligence gained from front line contacts.
Other articles you might like:
- Are You Listening?
- Attracting Loyalty from the New Customer – Part 5
- Six Steps to More Loyal Customers
- Connect with your customers
- I haven’t heard from you in a while
