Drivers of loyalty - personal thoughts

This is Forlan, professional boxing trainer. We meet twice a week, 6:45 AM.

First test course started 5 years ago, and never stopped since. As we recently celebrated this 5th anniversary, I asked myself this question very much discussed with my retail clients and colleagues: WHAT DOES FUEL TRUE LOYALTY?

?Here are 5 reflections based on this personal experience.

1.???? The symmetry of attitude

We want customers to be loyal to brands and services…but what about the opposite?

When I broke my arm and could not do boxing for 8 weeks, Forlan could have reallocated our highly demanded morning slots to an other alumnus. When he broke his foot, I could have decided to substitute him to another coach. True loyalty is bidirectional.

A provocating though: what if, in parallel of trying to make your customers loyal, companies would think of being loyal to their customers beyond transactional level?

2.???? An need for a job to be (very well) done…AND emotional connection

For sure the quality of the training or punctuality are key satisfaction drivers. But as much as you are satisfied by job to be done, it will not be sufficient as cheaper options of good professionals and fitness clubs appear over time.

Remember that we are humans. Being sensible and sensitive to it and show consideration is a simple and powerful way to create emotional bonds. Like truly caring about kids, asking for news about parents’ health, providing advice on nutrition, noticing interest for gardening and bringing seeds from a plant mentioned in a recent discussion are real-life examples of someone who care about you as individual.

Positive emotions, even small, nurture loyalty which a 5-USD voucher will fall short to create with same time intensity. Authenticity and some level of intimacy is key here. What are these small little things you truly enjoy as a client and which your company could bring to you client?

How to scale it and keep it genuine ? (and yes, data can help but will not resolve by itself)

3.???? Find what truly matters

Like offering free discovery session to other family members… ending up increasing the “share of wallet”. Being very flexible to last-minute changes in agenda (in exchange of the respect of a minimum volume of hours per month to be charged). Paying several months of courses in advance to help him invest in new motorbike without having to contract a loan.

Those are some real-life examples of what truly mattered in our relationship. You will notice that it worked both ways (back to point 1). Your customer will not value your membership program by the number of the bullet points.

What would be really relevant for them which would make a difference ?

4.???? Personalization

CRM and Gen-AI are all over the place. And still, let’s be honest: in most of the cases, we are still identified more as a segment or as a value potential rather than recognized and considered as what we really are, i.e. a unique human being. And not only I am different from other alumnus, but so does my health during the week.

Being able to i) recognize it ii)adapt the training to this truly makes you feel unique. Complex? For sure. But a massive opportunity to make a difference in customer-relationship building vs. competition. And again, data can help as long as you are obsessed by customer-first attitude, always, all the time.

5.???? Loyalty takes time

What a scoop. But hey, loyalty at first sight does not exist. Or it is something different, massively more transactional, and closer to short-term sales rental rather than anything else. Loyalty requires trust, and trust needs time.

The sooner your start, the better, and for sure data is a powerful source of value in the process. But by essence, loyalty is made of time, consistence, and trust.

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There is no loyalty, there are only evidence of loyalty. That is maybe why it is such a difficult topic to crack as a business…as well as a fantastic and powerful feeling to give and receive as human beings.

One more thing: we estimate that up to 30% of annual Loyalty investment in Retail does not generate any incremental revenue.

I am curious to hear about your reflections about true drivers of Loyalty based on your personal and business experiences and the real business outcomes achieved.

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