Share Your Skies With Us

To be clear, satisfaction does not equal loyalty. Not in marriage. Not in business. So - great customer sat scores might be meaningless when it comes to loyalty. As this article explains, "Getting a customer to return depends on more than satisfaction. It depends on giving the customer a reason to come back." In my eyes, there are only two strategies to bring customers back - innovation (it's so new and different that you are in a blue ocean market) or relationships. Most of us need to work on the latter...

I recently helped a long-time friend and advisor develop strategy for the redevelopment of her company's website. Of note - we created a really obvious "self-service zone" that could help visitors immediately access forms, tools and critical information. This article explains why providing customers with the means to self-serve is becoming a critical corporate capability. As the article states, "The experience is the message: Your brand is nothing less than the complete experience of doing business with you." Once again, make it effortless, and you will win.

A solid case can be made that buyers aren't just looking for best prices, but a sweet spot considered value. And that value word comes with values - as in, involving yourself, as a buyer, with companies that share yours and become extensions of you. Look in their mirror, then align; this approach to market segmentation is an important means to exquisite customer experience and building enduring customer loyalty.