There are many factors that engender customer loyalty, product quality, location, availability etc. – but I wanted to relate one recent story that I thought relevant.
My parents at 90 & 87 are still mobile and take themselves off on a daily basis to a variety of coffee shops and cafes. These establishments come in and out of favour, but a recent constant has been Costa Coffee, currently running at three times a week. The team in Costa have come to recognise my parents and usually have their regular order on the go as they enter the shop. This alone creates loyalty and is a story my parents will relate to anyone prepared to listen.
My Mum recently lost her walking stick and it was determined that it must have been left in Costa on their last visit. Sadly, on return to the shop, nobody had handed it in. A few days later, on their next visit, the manager came over and presented my Mum with a brand new stick that the staff had collected for and purchased.
This is a great example of service over and above expectation and one that creates immediate loyalty, goodwill and accelerated word of mouth.