The Power of Loyalty. Roger Brooks B.

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.

Connecting One-to-One

      Like most couples, my wife and I enjoy dining out alone as well as dining out with our family and friends. We are attracted to restaurants that have a combination of great food, fine atmosphere, and outstanding service. Of all the restaurants we frequent, good service is the one area I find least consistent. There are many factors that lead to poor service, but it comes down to properly training your staff so they treat people as well as they would like to be treated themselves. Business owners work hard, especially small-business owners, and in order to keep a loyal customer base, exceptional service is key, and having the proper staff can make all the difference in the world to your bottom line.

      When we do find a server we connect with we’ll often request that person by name. I’ll use Cortese Restaurant, located in Binghamton, New York, as an example. The food at Cortese is always consistent, the atmosphere is always pleasant. When we dine at Cortese, we always request our favorite waiter, Andy. To me, Andy is the face of Cortese. Andy is always consistent. He is always friendly, funny, and conscious of our needs as customers. Andy is not too pushy, and he’s very attentive. He takes our order, he asks how the kids are, he brings our drinks quickly, and he is attuned to each person as they place their order. Because Andy takes the time to listen to his customers’ needs, he very rarely makes mistakes. He’ll recommend a specific dish if it is out of this world, and he’ll advise if a certain dish doesn’t look the greatest on a particular day.

      If the people you have on the front line are not your “A TEAM,” then you’re putting your business at risk right from the start.

      As much as I enjoy Cortese, its fabulous pizza, pork chops, and other dishes, it wouldn’t be the same without Andy. We are loyal to Cortese, but we are equally loyal to Andy. Because of Andy, we go back time and again.

      Your wait staff or equivalent is the face of your business, and strict attention must be paid to those placed in roles that interact directly with customers. There are many small but significant efforts that can lead to retaining a customer and keeping that customer loyal—and that effort starts with your people.

      If you ever want a truly memorable pizza, order a Cortese Pizza online. It’ll ship it to you overnight frozen on dry ice. Pop it in the oven for 30 minutes, and it’s ready to eat. Visit corteserestaurant.com.

      Whether it’s George the dry cleaner or Andy the waiter, it’s important to have a friendly and courteous staff prepared to welcome your customers. The foundation of loyalty includes keeping sight of the important blocking and tackling needed to run the business. Consumers long for consistency and reliability. Consumers want to know they can count on your business to satisfy their needs. Consumers will remain loyal knowing they will get what they expect in return.

      STEP 1

       GOLDEN TIPS

      1. Define what loyalty means for your business.

      2. Recognize that loyalty is everywhere around you.

      3. Be attentive to the many choices customers have today, and give them a reason to buy from you.

      4. List the items you can improve on in your business to build customer loyalty.

      5. Loyalty is reciprocal. Start out by being loyal to your customers, and you’ll see how they will become loyal in return.

      6. Your business is only as good as your people. Put your A TEAM in front of your customers every day.

      7. Personal relationships yield loyalty.

       CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROFILE

      T.G.I. Friday’s^® Give Me More Stripes^®

      ABOUT THE PROGRAM: There are immediate benefits and there is no fee to join. Upon sign-up (online, interactive jukebox or by texting JOIN to MYTGIF), guests receive a Jump the Line Pass and a certificate for a free appetizer or dessert, and members will begin earning one “stripe” for every dollar spent on all purchases with food. For every $100 spent, members will receive an $8 coupon for free food. There is no limit to that.

      WHAT I LIKE: They do know how to keep things fun, but it’s more than that. Friday’s^® is the party headquarters. From its charismatic and refreshing team members to its exciting rewards program, dining at Friday’s has its perks. There are no limits on the amount you can earn, and it’ll continue to reward and recognize you with extras in a variety of ways throughout the year. Friday’s routinely sends membersonly coupons and advance notice of new menu items as well as a variety of other valuable offers and special events.

      FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION VISIT: www.givememorestripes.com

       ESSENTIAL STEP 2

       Know Your Customers; Treat Them Like They’re Made of GOLD