Think about a product or service that does everything it’s supposed to do, rarely breaks down and comes with a reasonable level of support. For Rohit Bhargava, his cable service, which he bundles with Internet access, falls into this category. Though he wouldn’t call the package price a bargain, it’s not overly expensive; and when he did have a problem, the company quickly resolved the issue. “By every metric you could choose to assign to my experience,” he says at the Influential Marketing Blog, “I’m a satisfied customer.”
You’re waiting for the “but,” though, and here it is: “If something even slightly better came along as another option for me, ” he says, “I would switch without hesitation.” This, he argues, is the line between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty; while satisfied customers will jump ship at the first reasonable opportunity, loyal customers will find reasons to stay, even if you slip up once in a while.
According to Bhargava, achieving this kind of loyalty requires more than good customer service.
Your product or service must deliver on its promise.
Your brand’s personality must give your customers a sense of belonging and participation.
If your customers are merely satisfied, it’s time to work on their loyalty. “The fact is,” says Bhargava, “in today’s market customer satisfaction doesn’t matter as much as customer loyalty.”
Source: Influential Marketing Blog.