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January 20, 2009

Jim G, Mr. Detroit, and a Saloon Fight: What Makes You a Fiercely Loyal Customer?

ME Liz Strauss published this at 8:59 am

I grew up hearing fiercely loyal customers tell stories about my dad. Other such stories I lived myself …

I was about 20 years old, home from college for the weekend. I stopped by the saloon to see my dad. All the guys were razzing him saying things like, “Close the cash register, the Boss is in town.” I was grinning back, “A smile from my dad is all I’m after.”

Some guy from Detroit swaggered in like this was any old bar, and he was some hot stuff. The big spender sat down and ordered a 50-cent, 8 oz. draft beer. He chose the red stool to Jim G, a guy about my age, who saw my dad as his surrogate father.

I had just thanked Jim G 83 times for fixing the flat tire on my boyfriend’s car — he’d driven out 17 miles to help me when I was stranded on route 80. We met for the first time by the side of that highway just 18 hours earlier.

I didn’t notice the Detroit stranger order his beer. I never served drinks there. Everyone knew my dad didn’t want me to. By the time the guy got it, I was teasing my dad and talking to a Joey D. He was an old guy who knew me since I was still sitting on the bar with my feet hanging.

Next thing you know, Mr. Detroit threw a fist in Jim G’s face. They were having it out right there in seconds. My sixty-something dad flew over the bar, pulled the guys apart, and handed them over to a couple of friends. Then, as a deputy of the county, he called the cops to pick up Mr. Detroit for visit to the local jail.

It was then that I heard the story. Mr. Detroit had asked Jim for my name. Jim said, “I told him ‘You wanna know, ask her or ask her father.’ I wasn’t going to tell him if you didn’t want him to know.”

Later that night, my dad bailed Detroit out of jail, took him to breakfast, and sent him on his way.

In a small town saloon, personal and business relationships can’t be separated. You throw guys in jail and you bail ‘em later. You feed ‘em and let ‘em know you’ve been there.

My dad cared about the people who were his customers and so they cared about him. He looked out for them and they looked out for him. Investment made investment returned. It’s the ROI of relationships — in spades. For me, it was like church, family, and Mark Twain to be there. Lots of others felt the same way that Jim G and I did.

What makes you a fiercely loyal customer?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Filed under Community, Marketing, Successful Blog | 17 Comments »


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17 Comments to “Jim G, Mr. Detroit, and a Saloon Fight: What Makes You a Fiercely Loyal Customer?”

  1. January 20th, 2009 at 9:55 am
    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan said

    products that serve my many wellness needs, by a company that walks it’s talk, and awesome personal service…

    great story liz

  2. January 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karen,
    It was an awesome event. It was like someone fought for my honor. Holy wow!

  3. January 20th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
    Richard Reeve said

    There are many I would go to the mat for…both figuratively and literally. Within the Social Media space I often find myself compelled to speak against to bozo’s. If the occasion would be better served remaining silent, I’ll send a back channel message of support to my friend.

  4. January 20th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
    Kelly said

    Liz,

    Like Richard and Jim G, I feel that taking a punch for a friend is one of the joys of being a true friend. (I prefer it be figurative!)

    What makes me a fiercely loyal customer? Little things. Very little, sometimes. Treating my kid respectfully when she and I are out together… or my dad, when we’re out together. Noticing I’m squinting, and pulling a window-blind. Remembering I can’t stand guacamole. Sending a thank-you note. Or in this day and age, even a thank-you email. A caring receptionist. Communication between different channels, so I don’t have to repeat myself a hundred times.

    God is in the details. The details are most often what changes me from an interested shopper to a fierce fan.

    Regards,

    Kelly

  5. January 20th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
    Amy said

    What makes me loyal? Knowing there’s a human on the other end who cares. I think your dad did that very well, and he taught his daughter well too. :-)

  6. January 20th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
    Craig Sutton said

    I’m with Amy, just some sort of personal interaction and good followup. It’s a shame really that we could take so little and think that is a great thing, but we have digressed in so many ways in large business and how they treat customers, you feel almost overwhelmed when they treat you like a person.

  7. January 20th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
    Susan Mazza said

    When their customer service people can clearly get in my world (rather than read from a script). T-mobile has been awesome at that! E.g. When I called to consider upgrading my plan they offered me 200 bonus minutes last mo. because they noticed it was an unusual overage.

  8. January 20th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
    Ken Ronshausen said

    For me, its the teamwork aspect of the relationship. I just walked in the door from an auto extrication assignment, a car into a pole. 5 Fire company’s got the job done. 2 career FD’s and 2 volunteer FD’s working side by side. No ego’s, just pure teamwork with the goal of doing good and doing it right.
    If a business owner (service or product) wants my loyalty, they must work hard, show they care in their actions, and treat others with respect.
    Your story is spot on.
    9605 TRVFD

  9. January 20th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
    BawldGuy Talking said

    Expertise, and the ability to achieve real results is what earns my loyalty. Your dad had years of experience. He knew what he saw when he saw it. He took the perfect steps in the right order, at the right speed — with the understanding it would produce the results required.

    What an all-encompassing story. Love it.

  10. January 20th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    For me, an excellent business knows customers one by one. I don’t necessarily want to talk deeply with my dry cleaner. But I want to be a person, not the same as the person before me.

    Those personal responses are shown and delivered in the detailed touches. Invest in me and you can bet I’m investing back in you.

  11. January 20th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
    LisaNewton said

    It’s all about people and their relationships with other people.

    Yes, I feel a story coming on:

    When my daughter was in college, she worked at the Maryland Science Center, a major tourist attaction in Baltimore. One day, a family comes in with Ohio State shirts on. My daughter happens to mention she has family who live in Ohio, where my sister, or my daughter’s Aunt is a midwife.

    My daugther tells the family this, and they are also from the same small city as my sister. My daughter mentions my sister’s name, and surprise, the mother of the visiting family announces that her son, who is standing by her side, was delivered by my sister.

    The mother then goes on saying a glowing report on my sister, her skills as a midwife, and her “personal service.”

  12. January 20th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Lisa!
    What a fabulous example of how we’re all connected in the most interesting ways. Thank you for offering it here. It made my night. :)

  13. January 21st, 2009 at 10:39 am
    Daniel Edlen said

    What a great allegory! Love it.

    Generosity of spirit makes me loyal. A willingness to truly connect. The waiter who not only remembers our drinks, but asks how my art show went last month. We’ve changed restaurants to follow him!

    Peace.

  14. January 21st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Daniel,
    Yeah, I often tell my friends I don’t care where we go to dinner … it’s about the people and the experience. My husband and I go back to the places where we find our friends working there.

  15. January 21st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
    Sheila Glazov said

    A father’s wisdom, wisely remembered. In a 1975 business newletter, my father wrote…
    “The customer is our boss- treat him right.”

  16. January 21st, 2009 at 7:54 pm
    Todd Jordan said

    Good story!

    This type of thing needs to happen more often in the world today, both online and off. Sadly lots of folks make a mess of things and get put in their place. Sadly we never bother to try to help them along.

    I’ve been that guy that made mistakes. Unfortunately it’s been a clawing battle since.

    My advice, do your best to everyone succeed and get on the right path.

  17. January 21st, 2009 at 8:16 pm
    Hump Day Reading for the Restless Soul said

    [...] Jim G, Mr. Detroit, and a Saloon Fight: What Makes You a Fiercely Loyal Customer? at Successful Blog [...]

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