The Perils of Loyalty and NPS
The Perils of Loyalty and NPS
By: Robert A. Kobek, RRP, President
CustomerCountSM
If you are not in the business of creating and maintaining loyal customers then you are in the wrong business. You may think that you are in the business of providing a product or service, but at the end of the sales day, you should be focusing on customer engagement and loyalty.
Be aware, danger lurks in the whole Net Promoter Score and Customer Loyalty Initiatives.
There is a tendency to take our loyal promoters for granted. Maintaining their loyalty and promotion with vigor, the danger is when they (we/I) get disappointed. When they are disappointed they can become the most vocal detractors imaginable.
I have seen this happen in charity and nonprofit, B2C and B2B. And, it has undoubtedly happened to everyone that is reading this. We endorse our loyalty and promote companies or organizations as being customer/client centric and we are unselfish about it; until the organization screws up.
When it does, as many business relationships will, customers call it to your attention. The tendency by business is to give the defensive answer with no acknowledgement that loyalty was in jeopardy. There was no real attempt to understand why this is an issue. Only the “that’s what we do” excuse. No matter how many times the issue is explained it can fall on deaf ears.
It is inertia at work; every action has an opposite and equal reaction. The variables that can cause your most ardent and loyal supporters cannot be managed entirely, but they certainly can call attention to just how fickle our customers can be.
The safety net is simple; maintain customer/client loyalty by letting them know they are top of mind. Keep them top of mind and ensure that they know they are top of mind. You worked very hard to gain that loyalty, don’t screw it up!