Ron Evans

How does loyalty begin?

Posted by Ron Evans, Oct 08, 2014 4 comments


Ron Evans

Ron Evans Ron Evans

As a starter conversation in advance of the customer loyalty preconference that I am teaching with Carol Jones at the National Arts Marketing Project Conference in Atlanta, a question for you. How does loyalty begin?

I had just moved to the area, and I was looking for a place to get my hair cut. I remember driving by a place near my house, and deciding to check it out. The available stylist was Lan. She called me back and talked with me about what I wanted in my cut, and we joked about various things. She did a great job with the haircut, too – I was happy.

 As I was leaving, she punched a hole in a loyalty card and said that when I got 11 holes, the 12th haircut would be free. I thanked her and put the card in my wallet, and went about my business.

Over the next several months, I went back to the hair salon, sometimes getting a haircut from Lan, sometimes getting one from someone else. Usually getting my card punched because, hey, free haircut.

On one occasion, I really didn't like the cut another stylist had given me. I left unhappy. I was so unhappy with it that I came back into the salon about a week later, and Lan was there. I told her I was unhappy with the cut and asked her to do it the regular way, and she said: “I'm so sorry! I will fix it for you for free.” I told her that she didn't have to do that, but she insisted with a smile. I was amazed by her gesture. I still left a big tip on the table when she wasn't looking.

That was many years ago, and to this day, I still go to see Lan for my haircuts, because it is such a great experience. We talk like old friends. I go to see her even though I have moved out of the area, getting to her salon is a pain, and the prices at her salon are more expensive than those at the local salon near my new house. Most of the time, I forget to get my punchcard punched. It doesn't really matter if I get a free haircut or not – I'm loyal to her and to the experience.

Did I become loyal because of the chance for a free haircut via the loyalty card? While it likely impacted my initial decisions to return to the store for additional haircuts, in the end it was my emotional connection to the experience that created deeper loyalty – loyalty that isn't easily swayed by price reductions of the competition, difficulty in participating due to geographic distance, etc.

Research suggests that loyalty is created when customer expectations are not just met, but exceeded. When there is an emotional feeling of “delight.” I was delighted when Lan fixed my haircut for free for me, as she exceeded my expectations. It opened the door for continued emotional experiences, friendship, and the feeling that I am “taken care of.” It created loyalty.

Carol and I will be discussing the psychology of loyalty in much more detail during our Preconference, The Psychology of Loyalty: Using Science and Technology to Encourage Repeat Behavior – we will explore the many ways that arts and cultural organizations can create experiences that exceed expectations and create loyalty.

Do you have an arts venue, company, or person whom you loyally frequent? Tell us why in a comment below. What sustains your loyalty?

The Arts Marketing Blog Salon is generously sponsored by Patron Technology.

4 responses for How does loyalty begin?

Comments

October 13, 2014 at 1:57 am

Thanks for your comments Ann-Laura, agreed! You describe a "remember the good 'ol days" conversation that one person leaving can cause. I think existing relationships and loyalty are often overlooked when evaluating leadership change, but it is really important to consider. -Ron

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October 13, 2014 at 1:59 am

Hi Rachel, good thought. I know that there was a museum attendance card that ran in Phoenix for awhile, but I'm not sure if was a punch card. I know some other communities have toyed with the idea in various ways. Given how easy it is to digitally track now, I would think this would not be very difficult to implement. Thanks for your comment! -Ron

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Ms. Rachel Ciprotti says
October 08, 2014 at 4:39 pm

I am on board with the need for an exceptional customer service experience as the best loyalty builder.

However....I am also wondering about that loyalty punch card...I have several in my wallet right now for various retail/food establishments. I wonder if such a thing would be successful for a small arts organization, particularly one like my own which doesn't have a subscription model for our public concerts. I am sure it has been tried before. Hmm...

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October 08, 2014 at 3:02 pm

This reminds me of an article I read years ago about the importance of front-line staff in business. Their example was a once-popular restaurant that had lost customers and nearly went out of business after one bartender left. That one bartender knew all the regulars by name and provided the experience that people wanted. Apparently they only had one person generating loyalty and he left. Imagine, though, if everyone in your organization who came into contact with your patrons could do that!

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