Think about the customers who walk into your store: How well do you know them? Who is a loyal customer, and who is a first-timer? What are they looking for in their shopping experience, and do you meet their needs?
While you think you might know these answers, Larry Bloom, co-founder of Xmente Swimming Pool Retail Academy and former CEO of BioLab, disagrees.
“Most retailers do not fully understand their customers’ expectations, nor do they appreciate what makes them stand apart,” he says. “While busy retailers may see very little difference among their various customers, the little differences that exist will make a big difference in the success of their business.”
To learn more about customer attitudes and behavior in the pool and spa retail environment, Bloom partnered with P.K. Data to conduct a groundbreaking survey of in-ground residential pool owners. The goal was to get inside the mind of a pool store customer and learn what draws them to a store, what keeps them coming back and what pushes them away.
Bloom shared his amazing findings in his series, "Inside the Mind of the Loyal Retail Consumer." Below, you'll find links to all 18 parts for easy reference.
Part 1: How Well Do Pool Retailers Understand Their Customers?How well do you know your customers? Many swimming pool retailers would say, “I know them very well!" However, according to a landmark study, retailers in the pool and spa industry know little about their loyal customers.
Part 2: What is the Value of Loyal Retail Pool Customers?Industry expert Larry Bloom explains just how much of an impact loyal customers have to your bottom line.
Part 3: How Satisfied Are Today’s Loyal Pool Retail Customers?In the third part of his series, Larry Bloom examines how satisfied loyal customers are with their pool retail store, and what it means for you.
Part 4: Why Do Loyal Customers Shop at Your Pool Store?In a study, Larry Bloom asked survey-takers for the reasons why they're loyal to their pool retail store. Here's what they said.
Part 5: How Do Loyal Retail Customers Perceive Your Staff’s Knowledge?You think your staff is knowledgable, but do your loyal customers? Larry Bloom explains why it matters.
Part 6: How Do You Know If Your Service is Superior?In his latest post, Larry Bloom makes a surprising discovery: loyal customers don't necessarily see superior service as an advantage to coming to your store. Here's why.
Part 7: Do Strong Personal Relationships Really Matter?Think having a strong, personal relationship with your customers matters most? Guess again.
Part 8: How Important is Your Store's Location?You've heard it before: When picking a property, it's all about "location, location, location." But just how much does location matter? Larry Bloom has the answers.
Part 9: Do Loyal Consumers See Advantages in Your Product Line?Does having that unique product line on your shelves mean much to your loyal customers? Larry Bloom went directly to pool retail customers to find out.
Part 10: How Much Does Competitive Pricing Influence Loyal Customers?Do your loyal customers see competitive prices as an advantage to shopping at their preferred retailer? The answer can impact your business.
Part 11: Want Loyal Customers? Here’s the "Secret Sauce"After carefully studying the wants and desires of loyal pool store customers, Larry Bloom has the "secret sauce" to turn casual customers into loyal ones.
Part 12: The Secret to Extreme Customer SatisfactionLarry Bloom digs into the components that make up the "secret sauce" for customer satisfaction and explains why they're critical for your business.
Part 13: The Specialty Pool Store Loyalist and the InternetCustomers have an upper hand in that they can shop at your competitor's outlets — or simply hop online. What threat does the Internet pose to your business? We have the answers.
Part 14: Why Loyal Shoppers DefectWhy do your customers leave you? Larry Bloom has the answers.
Part 15: How to Stop Your Loyal Customers from DefectingWhen customers have a bad experience, they defect and go elsewhere. In this post, Larry Bloom delves into how negative shopping experiences affect your loyal customers.
Part 16: How Do Loyal Retail Customers Change Over Time?In this post, author Larry Bloom asks a question: Are long-time pool owners likely to stick with their preferred pool retail store? The answer may surprise you.
Part 17: How Do Nonloyal Retail Pool Customers Shop?Not everyone who walks into your store is a loyal customer. But did you know that 17 percent of nonloyal customers used to be loyal customers? Author Larry Bloom examines this shocking discovery.
Part 18: Conclusion — The Choice Pool Retailers Must MakeIn the final post in his series, author Larry Bloom touches on the highlights of his research and asks an important question: Are you willing to critically look at your business to see how you can improve?
