Loyalty. Even at 7 months, our border collier is hugely loyal.
Our family has certain companies that we are extremely loyal to, for one reason or another. It could be that their product is simply the best; but in most cases it is something else entirely that keeps us coming back. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: why am I loyal? What brings me back here? Perhaps it is the marketing nature of our business, but I ask myself that question all the time and I find myself with a few answers I’d like to share.
A couple of years ago, I had the great fortune of meeting the owner of Lenny’s Sub Shop in Cumming and Alpharetta, Bruce Longmore. Bruce is a former corporate man who decided to take his talents and put them to good use in the franchise world.
The first thing that jumped out at me and drew me to Lenny’s is the amount of time and resources Bruce gives to the community. Whether to the local high school, his employees, local charities or just a networking event, Bruce is always offering his time and talents <and sandwiches!>. We have clients who look at these opportunities as lost revenue, but Bruce looks at as doing the right thing. What is fantastic about this is that the marketing he receives and the loyalty he builds from each positive action grows his company more than any advertisement ever could.
The second thing that made me a fan for life is the way Bruce treats his employees. He truly empowers them to make his company great! In fact, one of his employees, Kris, was recognized as the employee of the year nationwide after being nominated by Bruce. The next time we stopped by for a sub, the first thing Bruce did was point to the plaque Kris received, hung prominently on the wall. Kris is the employee everyone dreams of. He knows each customer, greets them all with a smile, puts the company first in all he does and I expect to see him when I walk through the door. Bruce has truly empowered Kris to be the face of Lenny’s and his business has benefited on all levels from it.
Incidentally, Bruce was also recognized as the Lenny’s Franchisee of the Year, which is no small thing considering there are over 150 Lenny’s franchises in the country…but that day in the store, he celebrated Kris’s award first (definitely more loyalty points with me!).
So, what sets Lenny’s apart from the competition for me is the way I feel about the brand. This isn’t because of Bruce’s over-the-top marketing efforts, but because of the human element behind the company. Bruce has created true loyalty…simply by doing the right thing. Don’t get me wrong, the subs are so good I’d go there anyway, but my loyalty is inspired by the details…and the service …not just customer service, but community service.
It’s funny, as I checked to be sure I had the name of Lenny’s award correct, I came across a blog Bruce wrote <that I just now read>…talking about the importance of, you guessed it, giving back to your community.
I’m going to be writing about more great companies like Lenny’s. I want to dive in and figure out what it is that makes me loyal to some brands so that maybe I can identify some things I can improve on in my own business.
What makes you loyal?
