Lets try this again, Do you reward Loyalty?

[Guested as duplicate]

I totally get your point. I come from a sales and marketing background and one thing that needs to be stressed is that this is a SERVICE industry. And it is my strong beliefs, backed up by insurmountable data, that the best business is return business and the best form of advertising is referrals and word of mouth! Now, hmmmm, how does one in the service industry keep the edge and stay in biz? By exceeding the customers expectations! HELLO!!!

I feel very comfortable posting that my regulars know that they won't be rushed out the door in sixty minutes. I remember a thread way back from somebody, provider or hobbiest, who knows, nitpicking about whether a shower should be her time or off time. Are you kidding me right now? We are talking ten minutes, I'm sure I can find it in my busy day to donate ten minutes to you so you may shower before and/or after playtime if you wish without fear that you will get a shortened session. I want you to call me again, and again, and again. I have met so many wonderful ladies who think the way I do from our community. I'm very proud to be an Austin Adorable.

[Likinikki]

Statistics show that customers belonging to a loyalty program visit a business, on average, twice as often, and spend four times as much money. Customer loyalty...it's almost a must for any business to survive in this economy.

The most successful CEOs know that credit must be given to those employees who make a company successful...success goes hand-in-hand with loyalty. And, imho...it's just good business sense to reward or offer some sort of compensation to those who help make your business successful.

I have a travel business...and have to be certified to legally get paid. Since I'm still taking my courses all my clients are getting their travel arrangements done for "FREE"...and I do it gladly. Same for this business...I routinely offer specials from time-to-time...as do many ladies. I realize there are some ladies that do not agree with those of us who offer discounts...I humbly respect them for their opinion...and hopefully, be respected for my choice.

[RALPHEY BOY]

I still most are missing the point...

the point is dont take your customers for granted and dont treat them like a 'wallet'..
I run my business like I want to, and rest of yall can wonder why you dont have any repeats...

[topshelf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (atxcomputernerd @ Mar 27 2009, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Agree with the REB. I also provide extra time for my clients, being an hourly based business. Those that pay promptly, don&#39;t try to nickle and dime me over my invoice, or are just pleasent to deal with, always get free time. I&#39;ll drop by fix something and not charge, won&#39;t charge for phone support, or just stop in with some freshly baked deserts.. I&#39;m a master in an apron.[/b]

Ditto! Well with the exception of just dropping by to fix something.

I don&#39;t do these things because of their loyalty, it&#39;s more out of appreciaton for my clients. While I give everyone I see first class service my established clients always get their choice of appointments. Maybe a session tailored specifically to their likings and something sweet during the holidays.

What we are seeing in society in my opinion is just lack of good customer service. Maybe I&#39;m just "old school" but what I experience on a day to day basic with the public is sad. Maybe rewarding loyalty has gone the way of manners, politeness, courtesy, or just being able to make change! What passes as "OK" isn&#39;t to me.

All the more reason to make sure I provide something above the norm and thats appreciated.
Tess

[FloridaShark]

This is an interesting thread. Is what we&#39;re really talking about "rewarding loyalty" or just clever self interest?

Let&#39;s use the real estate business as an example. If I&#39;m a top realtor, is the mortgage broker or title company I refer business to going to reward me for loyalty or provide me incentives to keep the money train flowing? Doesn&#39;t the provision of incentives become more likely depending on how important a customer is to the overall cash flow?

Let&#39;s take another example. Doctors. Don&#39;t many people go to the same doctor for many years and develop relationships over time? Does anyone expect their doctor to give them a "freebie"? How about a free prostate exam? Three fingers instead of four? :o

I go to the same gal to get my hair (singular) cut. I don&#39;t really expect her to cough up a free nard shave. And she would cough if I suggested it!

The point I&#39;m making is that the RMT, in this case, (like the doctor and the hair stylist) probably doesn&#39;t believe any of her regular customers matter that much to her overall cash flow. Whereas in other types of service industries, a single "good client" might really ring the register.

I think that&#39;s what some of the providers are trying to say in a nice way (the nice ones anyway). They may offer a little more, but it&#39;s often because they&#39;re nice or they like you. Unless you are a regular that really "rings the register", you just don&#39;t matter that much.

My $.02....

[wickedheather]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RALPHEY BOY @ Mar 28 2009, 09:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I still most are missing the point...

the point is dont take your customers for granted and dont treat them like a &#39;wallet&#39;..
I run my business like I want to, and rest of yall can wonder why you dont have any repeats...[/b]

Dude! Most of the posters seem to agree with you! This business, that business...you have to make them feel like they matter!! I know I do, and not just for the repeat $$(although I don&#39;t bitch about that!!) but if you are good to me and support what I do and treat me with respect, I reward that, in spades! I really do think that majority of people who provide any service that depends on customer satisfaction know that you sort of &#39;grease the palm that feeds you&#39;, take that anyway you like.

So I agree with those who question why you have been such a loyal client to the RMT. I would guess that the actual VALUE of what you get must have out weighed any extra time you haven&#39;t received. I am guessing also that she is very good at what she does and she has been your RMT for so long that she knows you very well and knows pretty much exactly what you need and how you need it. There are times when COST vs. VALUE has to be considered.

[Sarahsmiles]

<span style="color:#0000ff">I see what you are asking, REB, and I agree. Many businesses do reward loyal/repeat customers, i.e. after "x" amount of "xyz", you get one free, if you buy in more quantity than you usually get a discounted package, after so many years of being a member, you get discounts, free stuff, extra goodies, etc. Those marketing strategies can be applied to all sorts of venues, ranging from coffee shops to tanning salons to insurance companies and so on.

The sticky part is do you ask or not? There is always that fear of potentially being rejected, humiliated, etc. so many of us do not want to ask...and sometimes should not have to do so, in our eyes. So, have you asked her about the possibility of a discount, etc? If not, I know it is probably something that you don&#39;t want do do and/or feel like you shouldn&#39;t have to do. BUT, since it seems to be bothering you AND y&#39;all have also developed a friendship, I would suggest trying to find a delicate way of approaching the subject. It could be that she is more than willing to do it and just hasn&#39;t really thought about it. However, you should be prepared for a reply to both a positive and negative reaction from her. If you ask and she happily complies, you will feel better and all is good in the land of Ralphey Boy. If she declines your request, then you will have to be ready to make the best decision for YOU at that point. Will it be worth the discount to find another RMT that may or may not be any different, better, etc.? It may be...but you won&#39;t know until you at least ask, right? So, if you are wanting an opinion on how to handle? I say ask her and then decide at that point what will be the best resolution for YOU. If you want advice on if you are wrong or right to feel the way you do about it? Who cares? You DO feel the way you do, so it IS right to feel that way, and you now need to decide how to handle it and in such a way that is in YOUR best interest, not hers, not anyone on here, but YOURS. Good luck, REB! ;)</span>

[Qwaurk (no longer active here)]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wickedheather @ Mar 28 2009, 01:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Dude![/b]

Where&#39;s your car? :)

[GenesisNicole]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (txsacker @ Mar 27 2009, 09:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

OK OK OK

I love a good, honest to god massage. And finding an MT that can work on my issues and not leave me in agonizing pain is next to impossible to find. I am a hard person to please when it comes to registered massage.

So I know why you don&#39;t go looking for someone else, she does a great job correct? And you have been LOYAL to her, so she needs to be appreciative of that.

I manage a retail store that deals in a particular niche of the market. You can&#39;t buy our products EVERYWHERE. But we do have competition, and more now than ever. As a result those buying our type of products are finding that in the Austin area you can get better deals than pretty much anywhere in the state. We have competitors who sell the same products at a LOSS just to steal our customers. BUT Austinites have remained quite loyal. I can&#39;t tell you how many times I hear, ***** may be cheaper, but we keep coming back to you. You have a great selection, price, service etc....

My company however thinks that good service is all the reward needed for loyalty. Well being manager, I offer other incentives for people to come back. I have regulars, that I offer additional discounts to. I also will tell my regulars about hot items that I am really excited about, whether or not those items are making me extra money.

When I offered a discount to the guy who changes my oil, and I needed my radiator fixed, he found me a radiator at cost and did the job for a "trade". I had a new radiator for less than half of what it would cost me.

My advice to you is, ask for a discount, freebee, etc... I learned a LONG time ago to forget my pride and ASK for things I wanted. Sometimes that is all it takes. She might realize that you are right, and begin making up for it. She might not, then you KNOW where you stand!

AND THE CIRCLE OF LIFE CONTINUES![/b]

im definatly agreeging with the last statement in above quote!---i have a saying--"closed mouths dont get heard!"--she may have never thought of giving discounts to loyal clients--so with you speaking up--you may not only get more time/discount but you may also help others who see her if she starts giving discounts---you become the silent hero!---YEAH!--if she declines the thought then at least you know and knowing is half the battle---(ok i pulled out the old captian planet tapes for my kid!)--good luck and i hope that the info and feedback you have received helps you in your deliema.--kisses!~

[wicked milf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RALPHEY BOY @ Mar 28 2009, 09:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I still most are missing the point...

the point is dont take your customers for granted and dont treat them like a &#39;wallet&#39;..
I run my business like I want to, and rest of yall can wonder why you dont have any repeats...[/b]

The point is......DON&#39;T EXPECT to be given something in return by way of EXTRAS or discounts,
just because you give someone repeat business. You don&#39;t want them treating you like a wallet? Well that&#39;s pretty
screwed up thing to say when YOU are the one going back to this woman, time & again, and PAYING her
to rub you! :unsure: She&#39;s NOT treating you like a wallet. She&#39;s doing HER JOB as a massage therapist.

I&#39;m amazed at how you show lack of respect for how one runs their own business. But yet, in another
breath you rant about how you run yours the way you want to.
Well, dude. So does every one else.

I can&#39;t stand greedy selfish people who are constantly expecting something from others.

[Woody of TX]

above post ignored, did someone say something..

[Snowgoddess]

Woody, if you don&#39;t have anything nice to say-Don&#39;t say anything at all!!!!!!

[Woody of TX]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Snowgoddess @ Mar 29 2009, 01:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Woody, if you don&#39;t have anything nice to say-Don&#39;t say anything at all!!!!!![/b]

Yes bossy, I am sorry that I did not post according to your rules. Just as I figured you would be the first to suck up and defend. Now we just have to wait on the other 3 of the Fab 5. I have chosen to ignore WickedMILF just because she can not have a honest and professional discussion on a subject, my comment was to announce just that.....when wickmilf acts like she did in REB&#39;s topic of post, then I have chosen to "IGNORE" her, period!

She replied ever time on the post to REB with hatred and shouting the whole time, not only once but numerous times over, even when others mentioned that the post was not about the hobby. She was totally out of control and lack any respect to REB or and other member included in the post. It was her way or no way, no professional discussion in any matter. Also she has more or less expressed that she is a "Man-Hater" and I wonder if you are the same. Example: Big Bold letters and in red, I imagine that is just how you conduct you personal life also, in a yelling and b.t.hing matter, no respect to any other.

So if you want nice and wonderful, please act according and you will get respect, otherwise...

[Snowgoddess]

Actually woody, that would be Ms. Mod to you, lucky for you I don&#39;t charge per grammatical error. Now, back on topic!!!!!!!!

[RALPHEY BOY]

I did mean for this to be such a long discussion.. my god all I was trying to convey was I believe if you &#39;give a little&#39; you will &#39;get a little more&#39; in return..

did not realize it would be such a fire storm.. oh well such are my topics...

let the brawling continue, no hitting below the belt, no rabbit punches and may the best person win ;) ;)