Imbue Consulting -ARTICLES_ Beyond SURVEY Questions

When leaders of manufacturing organizations are told that 85 percent of their customers were "completely satisfied" with their trash compactors, it is accurately portrayed as a marketing victory. But if customers give that same "completely satisfied" rating to their last restaurant experience, it would likely signal a grade of "C"-meaning "The restaurant passed; it fulfilled all my 'dining at a restaurant' requirements." But such a grade would by no means cement the customer's loyalty to the restaurant.

This helps to explain why the great majority of customers (some studies show 75 percent) who leave an organization for a competiton when asked, say they were "satisfied" or "completely satisfied" with the organization they abandoned. Satisfaction, it seems, has little correlation to loyalty.

Customers who are merely satisfied remain your customer only as long as everything goes their way. But when something better comes along-other providers temporarily slash prices, or they experience even small service problems-whoosh, off they go to the competition. But loyal customers are a different breed. They don't just come back, they don't simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.
Loyal customers act as a volunteer sales force, championing you to others at home, work, in social circles-and even around the globe via recommendations on blogs, online bulletin boards, and Web sites. And because they feel committed to you and see both emotional and business value in the relationship, they will typically pay more for what they get from you because they are convinced it is worth it.