One of the services that Leapfrog Leadership provides is to help organizations understand the differences between Customer Service and Customer Loyalty, and how to create the latter. Every once in a while we encounter a company that really “gets it” and like to hold them out as an example of how to foster Customer Loyalty.

I recently purchased a product called a Squeezebox Duet. This product is made by Slim Devices, a part of the Logitech family. When my Squeeze box showed up I encountered several issues with it and contacted their customer support line. I was on hold for less than two minutes and then put through to a very considerate analyst. He didn’t take me down some forced march with a canned script but rather did an outstanding job of troubleshooting my situation. When it became clear that the issues I was having were more than he could handle he transferred me to their second level of support. When he made the transfer he stayed on the phone to make sure that the hand off went smoothly.

Within a fairly short period of time the second level analyst (Tyler) determined that my unit was faulty and would need to be replaced. He gave me the option of returning it to Logitech or to the vendor from whom I had purchased it. I told him I’d contact the vendor before making a decision. He contacted me the next day to find out what my decision was and I told him I was going to return it to the vendor. While I was waiting for the replacement to arrive, I was contacted again by Logitech wanting to know if the replacement had arrived.

When the new unit arrived it worked much better than the original unit but I was still experiencing some minor networking issues (not caused by their device). Before I had an opportunity to contact Logitech I received a phone call from them. Do you see a pattern here? They called me!

I’m not going to drag this story out any further but will end it by saying that the new unit is working way beyond my expectations, Logitech was very proactive in making certain that my expectations were exceeded and their analysts were highly trained technically and very focused on providing an outstanding experience.

I do not know if this level of expertise is unique to the Slim Devices portion of Logitech or if it is indicative of the company as a whole. I do know, however, that this was one of the best customer support experiences I’ve ever had. Customer Loyalty is much more that simply doing the right thing when asked to do so. It is proactively seeking ways to go beyond doing the right thing and treating the customer like a respected friend in the process.

I am now much more than a satisfied Logitech customer. I love that company. I love the way I was treated, and going forward will no doubt be more understanding of snafus than I might otherwise have been. And most importantly, I’ll be preaching their goodness to anyone who will listen.

And that is what Customer Loyalty is all about.

We believe that attitude is the key ingredient in the pursuit of success. When you meet someone who has a true passion for what they are doing it shows in everything they do. Last weekend we encountered just such a person and would like to hold her out as a wonderful example of the profound impact that passion can have on a business.

We attended a “spin-in”, a trade show of sorts for spinners and weavers, which included exhibits by a number of vendors. Mountain Silk Alpacas stood out from all the rest. The quality of the products being offered, the signage, the printed material, every aspect of the booth shouted “professional”. In an industry dominated by amateurs, we were anxious to find out what made this vendor different. Within minutes of engaging the owner, Laurie Duff-Robertson, in conversation her passion for her animals and every aspect of her business became readily apparent. Laurie’s enthusiasm showed in her eyes, her voice, her energy level, and the extent of her knowledge. Talk with Laurie for just a few minutes and you find yourself feeling the same excitement that she exhibits. Further conversation leads you to understand that Laurie has a very clear vision of where she would like to take her business. Her goals are firmly established and fueled by a desire to excel.

The following quote from Laurie’s website says it all:

Sharing the passion, the tools to succeed, and my experiences is the way I do business. As a result, Mountain Silk Alpacas isn’t limited to satisfied customers. I work within a vibrant network of ‘alpaca cronies’ and ‘fiber friends’.

In our current economic times, a company needs an edge to survive and grow. Laurie’s passion and attitude give Mountain Silk Alpacas that edge.