BUILDING CUSTOMER TRUST AND LOYALTY

 100 GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS

Significantly, Harley-Davidson ensures customers receive benefits they value.

The result is that customers trust Harley-Davidson; this trust is used to develop stronger bonds and greater profits in a virtuous circle. Rich Teerlink, former chair, commented, “perhaps the most significant program was—and continues to be—the Harley Owner’s Group (HOG) . . . Dealers regained confidence that Harley could and would be a dependable partner . . . [And] capturing the ideas of our people—all the people at Harley—was critical to our future success.”

In practice

• Deliver customers a consistent (and ideally a “branded”) experience each time they deal with your business.

• Be clear about the value proposition—what you are offering customers.

• Provide incentives for new customers to return and reorder.
• Reward loyalty for established customers.
• Be competitive—what seems like a good deal to you may not match your competitors.

• Make the customer’s experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.

• Reassure customers with a reliable service and product offer.
• Continuously improve the process, based on customer feedback.

• Deliver reliability by working with partners and investing in resources.