That’s right…when it comes to certain businesses and brands, I am as loyal as a zombie.
Now, I didn’t coin this phrase “Zombie Loyalists.” A guy named Peter Shankman did in his book, “Zombie Loyalists – Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans.” Zombie loyalists are those customers who love a business or product so much that they are not only loyal to that product, but they want everyone else to be as well and will tell anyone who will listen how great that product or business is. Zombie Loyalists are so passionate about something they love that they’ll tell you about it at every opportunity.
For me, I am a Zombie Loyalist to Publix and Chick-fil-A. When it comes to grocery stores, there is no other option for me. Yes, I admit that from time to time I will buy a grocery item or two at Target or…gasp…Walmart, when I am buying other household items. But 99 times out of 100, Publix is the only place you’ll find me. And don’t even get me started on their ice. Why is their ice in their deli such a perfect size? I don’t know…but I dream about that ice. And I will go out of my way just to get a cool, refreshing Coke Zero, filling the cup to the brim with ice.
Ask me where I want to go to lunch? Nine times out of 10, the answer will be Chick-fil-A. At one point, I went to Chick-fil-A so often that all the girls in the drive-thru knew my name, my kid’s name and my dog’s name. I even became Facebook friends with one of the drive-thru girls. (Note to self…that might have been a clue that I go to Chick-fil-A a bit too often!)
What do these two businesses have in common? Yes, they each provide excellent products, but what makes me keep coming back is their awesome customer service. Ask for help in a Publix and you’ll get a friendly associate who will go out of his or her way to answer your question. Try that in Walmart and see what kind of response you get. And at Chick-fil-A, it is always “their pleasure” to get me my lunch. I just love that. At Publix, if you want to return something, there are no questions asked…and I’ve seen some pretty awful things returned at Publix. Seriously…who brings back cooked meat?!? At Chick-fil-A, if you find yourself waiting in the drive thru for an extra long time, you’ll probably be offered a free sandwich or ice cream coupon for your trouble…even though it’s not their fault that they are so popular!
In “Zombie Loyalists,” Peter explains how we as Americans have gotten so used to crappy customer service that for a business to stand out and impress customers, they simply have to provide service that is one step above “crap.” And when a business…and more specifically, employees…go above and beyond to provide amazing customer service, then they are on the way to creating a Zombie Loyalist out of that customer.
I am half way through reading this book and I already have a list of about a half a dozen businesses that I would love to send a copy of the book to! So many business owners don’t realize that there isn’t enough public relations and marketing in the world to compensate for a bad product and/or poor customer service. That’s because no one believes how amazing your business is if you’re the only one telling them. But if you can get your customers to tell their friends how amazing you are…then you’ve created Zombie Loyalists.
So, are there any businesses or products that you are Zombie Loyalist to? I’d love to hear about them. Just let me know in the comments section.
