No matter what kind of business you’re in, the most important thing you have to do is keep your customers happy. After all, this is your ultimate goal. And the best way to do this is by “winning” their loyalty. Once you have patrons, you will also create a stable clientele and an almost guaranteed market.
As one of the most well-loved brands in the food industry, Auntie Anne’s knows a thing or two about customer loyalty. We were lucky enough to sit down with them and discuss how business owners can develop a strategy that brings in customers for the long run. Their way is, surprisingly, very simple, and it stems from a small yet crucial point: knowing what your customers want, and finding a way to provide that.
Without further ado, here is our five-step guide to winning your customers’ hearts:
Knowing your customers makes it easier to develop products that will appeal to them. As Auntie Anne’s Marketing Manager Michelle Guballa accurately says, “It is only with knowledge of consumer behavior that businesses may develop improvements for their brand. These developments are what attracts and keeps customers, [and encourages them] to patronize your business.”
Knowing your customers makes it easier to develop products that will appeal to them. As Auntie Anne’s Marketing Manager Michelle Guballa accurately says, “It is only with knowledge of consumer behavior that businesses may develop improvements for their brand. These developments are what attracts and keeps customers, [and encourages them] to patronize your business.”
Whether through a comprehensive, mandatory program or just regular monitoring and mentorship, you can make sure your team members—especially frontliners who deal with customers face-to-face—are friendly, open and helpful to everyone they attend to.
Naturally, product development plays a big role in answering your customers’ needs. Put thought and effort into your products, and your customers are guaranteed to feel it. Be creative with your products, and customers will appreciate the variety as well as the unique flavors or styles. Most importantly, focus on consistency: make sure each customer is treated warmly, and every product is made with care.
In the case of Auntie Anne’s, Michelle tells us, “Our pretzels are freshly baked all the time, all day
long. We can guarantee that the products inside the warmer are freshly baked. Our pretzel line up also caters to a variety of tastes. We offer sweet, salty, sour and savory pretzels.”
Customers want to be treated in a special way. Show your appreciation and advertise your products at the same time through promos and special rewards.
For example, Auntie Anne’s creates promos based on the following:
Finally, what better way to improve your business than to learn from your market itself? Whether positive or negative, all feedback can be a way for you to improve. So don’t skip out on it, because it’s actually the best place to look for inspiration, critique or encouragement. “We value [all] feedback from our customers,” Michelle says of Auntie Anne’s marketing team. “We make it a point to read and reply to all the messages we receive whether via email, a private message or a comment in social media posts.”
Remember that building customer loyalty works both ways: it ensures that you have a stable, regular clientele, and it drives new customers in as well. Be creative in the ways you create products and rewards, and don’t forget to prioritize your team so that everyone’s working as one unit towards the goal of customer satisfaction.
Ready to give your customers rewards? Build loyalty amongst your customers with Globe myBusiness’ RUSH Loyalty App!
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