One of the biggest compliments a customer can give you is the ability to send them information. When a customer gives you their name, email, address or other forms of data, consider yourself lucky. They trust you, like your product and want to hear from you.
Companies can keep mounds and mounds of data on customers, but if that data is not turned into information and that information not given to the right people, it is wasted. Your employees on the front lines dealing with the customers are the ones who need the information and the information needs to be digestible to them. Or, your IT and Marketing departments have wasted a lot of time, energy and money.
The gaming industry has been considered one of the best in terms of customer data and using that data to drive “loyalty.” Casinos bank on “loyalty” being connected to a number. You have a worth to the casino and their sales and marketing programs are based on that worth. Earning reward “points” or other forms of reimbursement driven by the amount of money you spend is the driver to keep you “loyal”. “Why would you go anywhere else when you have all these points and promotions at my casino?”
But, I always thought that there should be a lot more to it than that. “Points” don’t create loyal customers. People, experience and a feeling of comfort create a connection with customers and that connection makes a customer loyal to your product.
The best place to watch the building blocks of “loyalty” in action is at the local Tavern. Great bartenders have it down and their livelihoods depend on it. They know what your favorite drink is and they are quick to strike up a conversation. Their loyal customers return day after day. Granted, they don’t have the massive amounts of data to process into information that most large companies do, but you can learn a lot from those simple interactions.
Customers want to earn smiles, acknowledgement and recognition. In return they will spend money with you. If a company wants to give them a few “points” for spending money, I’m sure they will like that as well. But don’t forget which one comes first.
Companies can keep mounds and mounds of data on customers, but if that data is not turned into information and that information not given to the right people, it is wasted. Your employees on the front lines dealing with the customers are the ones who need the information and the information needs to be digestible to them. Or, your IT and Marketing departments have wasted a lot of time, energy and money.
The gaming industry has been considered one of the best in terms of customer data and using that data to drive “loyalty.” Casinos bank on “loyalty” being connected to a number. You have a worth to the casino and their sales and marketing programs are based on that worth. Earning reward “points” or other forms of reimbursement driven by the amount of money you spend is the driver to keep you “loyal”. “Why would you go anywhere else when you have all these points and promotions at my casino?”
But, I always thought that there should be a lot more to it than that. “Points” don’t create loyal customers. People, experience and a feeling of comfort create a connection with customers and that connection makes a customer loyal to your product.
The best place to watch the building blocks of “loyalty” in action is at the local Tavern. Great bartenders have it down and their livelihoods depend on it. They know what your favorite drink is and they are quick to strike up a conversation. Their loyal customers return day after day. Granted, they don’t have the massive amounts of data to process into information that most large companies do, but you can learn a lot from those simple interactions.
Customers want to earn smiles, acknowledgement and recognition. In return they will spend money with you. If a company wants to give them a few “points” for spending money, I’m sure they will like that as well. But don’t forget which one comes first.
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