Building a Customer - Centric Culture through Mentorship

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” - Oprah Winfrey.

           Each of us needs support to get through life. This is most notably true from the closest people to our hearts, and from people who choose to go out of their way to invest in us and make us better: our mentors.

           I have been lucky to have a mentor that had a profound and lasting professional impact on me. Hala Achkar, a hospitality leader and entrepreneur, has a phenomenal passion in the restaurant, food and hospitality industries. She comes from a 4th generation hotelier whose drive was to provide unique experiences from a young age. Hala shared with me five tips of the trade for my dissertation a couple of years ago, which are still powerful and meaningful for any company to implement, especially for the homegrown businesses.

She said, "if you follow them, you will be singing the loyalty song in no time."

Hala’s Five Secrets Tips:

For local start-ups, global companies, and everything in between, customer loyalty is an undeniable must-have. Bringing clients back to your brand is a key predictor of future success; new customers can be both difficult and expensive to court, and the word of mouth that comes from existing buyers is often worth its weight in gold.

The trick, of course, is knowing how to effectively encourage repeat business. I will detail the five secrets to customer retention that every major brand knows.

Stellar Customer Service

The most successful brands know that incredible customer care can create some of the most satisfying moments throughout the entire organization. This is where the Golden Rule really comes in handy: treat each of your customers exactly as you’d like to be treated, and always strive to create a stellar example of your services.

To truly appreciate what I mean by the word stellar, here are specific examples of companies that exceed in customer service and to remain # 1 in their field:

Disney Parks and Resorts use this strategy in action. As you know, they have experienced very low periods in late 2000’s. They focus on creating memorable and magical experiences that keep customers coming back year after year. It’s all about the little things: friendly phone representatives, helpful associates, and special moments that demonstrate just how willing you are to go above and beyond for your customers. Even a company’s accidental mishaps can be mended if their service standards are top notch. This relies on even keeled employees that go out of their way to right any wrongs.

Apple, on the other hand, provides its great and helpful Genius Bar to anyone experiencing difficulties with a machine. That extra service often turns what could've been a bad product moment into a paragon of customer loyalty.

Creative Loyalty Programs

As we all know, customer retention is a priority for every business, and nothing keeps clients coming back quite like a thoughtful customer loyalty program. Based on a series of rewards, exclusive offers and unbeatable perks, these members-only clubs give clients more bang for their buck. What’s more? They often pamper customers with a set of VIP experiences, and that alone encourages people to return. Of course, it’s not enough to offer sporadic discounts and flimsy membership cards. Look at what the world’s biggest brands have created: customer loyalty programs that rival credit cards in terms of must-have benefits.

Off-the-top examples include Emirates Skywards, which makes it easier than ever to earn a free flight. Another one is Nordstrom’s. The Nordy club rewards provided free alteration and concierge services in New York. Create something that makes your customers feel special, and you’ll be rewarded with years of loyalty.

A Consistent and Engaging Relationship

This tip is the cornerstone: humans always crave comfort and consistency. This is precisely true when it comes to brand relationships. As consumers, we want to know that the products will always be good, the service will always be stellar, and the brand will consistently speak to our specific needs.

Big businesses spend hundreds of hours every year cultivating the sort of reliability that ultimately feeds the bottom line, and it all starts with customer engagement. If you’re not actively engaging with your buyers through marketing communications, social media, and your overall presence, you’re missing a giant piece of the branding puzzle.

Similarly, if you’re switching brand images faster than a train, you run the risk of confusing the people you rely on most. Interact with your customers consistently and make them feel as if you’ll never let them down. It may not be a direct sales tactic, but sometimes it’s the covert strategies that make the biggest impact.

Those "extra-mile" moments

Who doesn’t love receiving a gift? Making an extra effort for your clients is the best way to encourage customer retention. One look at your email inbox during your birthday backs up this theory. I used to do this in my hotels and restaurants, sending my customers special birthday offers to remind them that we care. Sometimes companies even use personalized data to take it further. Like a friend who cultivates her flower shop with care, she sends reminders near an important date. It’s all about relating to people as humans rather than as objects.

Loyalty programs feature this sort of system as a matter of course but consider what you can do for your customers beyond the standard rewards. Get inspired by all the reputed cosmetic counters in the malls, and how they give you a special sample or treat you into a package when spending a large amount. You can even use information gathered from surveys to wish customers well during an anniversary, graduation, or other heartwarming event. When you show your clients that you’ve taken the time to know who they are, they’ll respond with loyalty like you’ve never known.

Overwhelming Authenticity and Genuineness

All huge brands understand that authentic interactions are the keys to customer retention. You may be only one member on a team of 100, but every customer wants to feel as if they’re talking directly to a single personality. The best way to achieve this is to use brand voice, identity, and image to break down the barrier between company and customer. Resist the urge to create a detached tone for your business; though it may seem like the best way to exude an air of luxury and expertise, it often makes your brand appear less than friendly.

If you know who your customers are, what their lives are like and what they value the most, you’ll be able to speak to them from a place of authenticity — which is exactly what everyone values above everything else. As my good friend and role model, Hussein Wehbe, in our community stated, "The Last Mile of Today is your First Mile of Tomorrow."

On a final note, I am profoundly thankful to my many mentors, who have taught me such invaluable lessons as above. I am also grateful to those who have allowed me to mentor others. Always inspire, share, and teach something new to foster a culture of trust and continued learning, at home or at work. It’s all about the communities we build through our daily actions, supported by the mentors who are kind and thoughtful enough to breathe life into this form of cooperation and camaraderie.

Here’s to better communities, inspired by loyal customers.