Satisfaction Keeps You Passive; Loyalty Makes You Passionate

Here's nonsense at work #311

“You should get one!” (free public domain)

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Reading time: about 1.1 minutes

Simon & Garfunkel were only half right when they sang "Keep the Customer Satisfied." Customer satisfaction is only the start of a profitable customer relationship. Customer loyalty is how you make serious money.

Let me explain using two examples. I had a problem with my phone carrier. I complained. They pushed back. I complained louder. They fixed it. I am satisfied. But I am not loyal. Give me a reasonable option and I might switch.

Now consider loyalty. I had a four-year-old American car. It died. The dealer said it needed a new engine. After four years? I remembered my two foreign cars that I sold after both were over 12 years old. I bought another foreign brand. Over 10 years later, I remained satisfied.

But there’s more. I became so loyal that I convinced my wife to buy one. And I told all my friends.

That’s the difference between satisfaction and loyalty. Satisfaction keeps you happy, but passive. Loyalty makes you passionate and talkative. That’s a big difference.

Except...

I now believe there’s a downside to customer loyalty. It leads to executive smugness.

The car company recently joined the Club of Rolling Recalls. (Rolling? Yes. Not one recall, but many, one after the other.) My loyalty has now rolled out the door.

I must assume the executives feel satisfied now that their company has lost its passion.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.