What is your business to you? Your second home, your livelihood; the foundation of your family.
What are customers to you? The people you interact with on the floor everyday; whether it be on the phone, through email, in person. These are the people you provide a service to. They are the fuel that brings cash flow livelihood for your personal life and the lives of everyone you work with. So what does every business order need more of? Lots and lots of customers and to make it an even better experience; loyal customers – the people that provide cash flow to your business year after year.
Want to know how to create more loyal customers?
Here’s a little snippet of the article everyone is reading about on HelpScout.net – The #1 thing that creates loyal customers:
The #1 thing that creates loyalty in anybody (that includes your customers) is the social construct of Reciprocity.
Reciprocity is a social norm that’s been evaluated and debated since the days of Aristotle, and it has been said by many scholars to be one of the single defining aspects of social interaction that keeps society whole.
In Prof. Robert Cialdini’s now infamous Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, he notes that:
“The impressive aspect of reciprocation with its accompanying sense of obligation is its pervasiveness in human culture. It is so widespread that, after intensive study, Alvin Gouldner (1960), along with other sociologists, reported that all human societies subscribe to the rule. Within each society it seems pervasive also; it permeates exchanges of every kind.”
The point: Reciprocity is likely something that has evolved in the human brain in order to keep a majority of transactions “fair”.
We often feel obligated to return favors, even if they are unasked for.
This is the ultimate reason why great customer service has such a fantastic ROI (return on investment).
Human beings are wired to follow the rule of reciprocity, and now that you understand it’s importance, we can discuss how to use it to create incredibly loyal customers.
To read the full article, go here.
All in all, in a quick overview of the article, we agree that reciprocity makes the world go round. But is it really always so equal? Remember that customers will always try to get the best out of you as they can, as well the other way around. We all want something from each other and that is why we do business to facilitate the exchange of goods for our livelihood. Remember to keep your reciprocity balanced so both parties are winning and go home happy.
In the end, when it all comes down to it, everyone likes to be treated fairly. If what you’re offering isn’t good enough for the customers to want to return, whether it be service or goods, you won’t be creating any loyal customers. Remember to always take note of your customer interactions. Remember that we’re all people just trying to have a good day. That means you not just your customer. The attitude of your well being will influence the overall attitude of your customer’s reactions. As with friends, family and all that surrounds, loyalty begins with trusting that reciprocity will be given.
