How Stores Build Customer Loyalty

Posted on by Forest in General, Opinion

How Stores Build Customer Loyalty – One of the biggest challenge of any retail space is trying to build a legitimate loyalty amongst the local customers. I wanted to share my thoughts on this…

How Stores Build Customer Loyalty

How Stores Build Customer Loyalty

I know you all get how they work to build loyalty, loyalty cards, special mailing list only offers and all that but the growth of the big corporate environment means that more often than not loyalty is based on who is consistently the cheapest! Not a good or sustainable model for the type of business I would like to see more of.

Sadly the local greengrocer, butcher and bakery are year on year becoming more history as box-stores that base loyalty solely on profit take over. I know there is a growth of small farm stores and such things but it’s appealing to the upper middle classes and sometimes are actually backed by the mighty corporations cashing in on another trendy market pattern.

So how do small businesses have a chance in this crazy world of competition with price cutting giants? The answer, I think, is in loyalty from the local community.

A business that gets involved and is a member of the community will win over loyalty in droves and it won’t be long before they are the places to go for whatever they sell.

The owner needs to put their face out there in the community. Local-only deals and bringing an environment in the store where people want to hang out is paramount.

Of course all this work takes effort on the store owners part and it can cost money too. I’m sure though that if an owner takes a genuine, and it has to be genuine, interest in customers and doing things for their good that eventually the quality of service and feeling of community will win out over the marginally cheaper big store faceless competition.

Visiting a friend in Princeton recently I noticed the locals will choose Hoogies subs over Subway any day of the week. In downtown Burlington, Vermont most people, who can afford it, would pick American Flatbread over any mainstream pizza joint any day of the week. In fact the local restaurant scene in downtown Burlington is so strong that McDonald’s had to close down a few years ago.

As a consumer you should take an interest in building loyalty with local stores, what it costs you in money it will gain you in community. You will keep money rotating locally and be working to the interests of your local citizens.

Of course I can;t understate that providing great quality products helps just a little!

Am I living in a dream world or can you share any actual experience of this happening in your local community?

Thanks for reading - How Stores Build Customer Loyalty

Tags: customer loyalty, local business, small business, store loyalty