Customer loyalty surveys

You probably already know this, but it bears repeating: Research on consumer loyalty says it costs five times as much to gain a new customer than it does to retain an existing one.

Are your customers happy? Are you sure? Find out when you send out a customer loyalty survey. Start asking the tough questions about consumer satisfaction to discover consumer loyalty trends as part of your marketing activities and get the insights you need to keep your customers where they belong—with your company.

Related: The top 3 metrics for measuring customer experience

Customers exhibit customer loyalty when they demonstrate a repeat purchase for a specific product or service. Customer loyalty takes effect when customers have a positive experience with a purchase that makes them feel connected to the brand’s ideals and values. It’s an experience that builds customer trust that leads to engaging with your brand on various social media channels, providing feedback, and even becoming an advocate of your brand through word-of-mouth advertising. 

TIP: Find out how loyal your customers are through a customer loyalty survey.  

A good example of a brand that has strong customer loyalty is Proctor & Gamble’s Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. The product is marketed to clean dishes and cookware. However, it also proves to be an effective solution for cleaning animals that have suffered from oil spills. This initiative evokes empathy for animal and environmental advocates. And customers who purchase this brand of dishwashing liquid may have a sense of contributing to a more meaningful purpose which can inspire them to choose this product and likely another Proctor & Gamble product. 

Earning customer loyalty is not always a one-purchase type of achievement. Customers are loyal to products and services for different reasons. Understanding these reasons can help optimize your marketing efforts. Customer loyalty can be distinguished into one of four categories: price, convenience, loyalty program, and devotion. 

Let’s take a closer look at what these categories could mean for your business. 

Customer loyalty is important because it plays a strategic role in growing and expanding your business. The time and resources it takes to acquire new customers is a great motivator to retain them as loyal customers. The momentum of a satisfied customer should be valued and implemented as a driving part of your marketing plan. Sending out a customer loyalty survey to every customer shows them that you care about their customer experience and are looking for ways to improve it. 

TIP: Measure customer loyalty by learning how to improve customer loyalty and retention.  

There are multiple ways customer loyalty is important to your business. For starters, loyal customers are willing to pay more for a product or service they believe in. This fact inevitably makes them easier to sell to, and because they’re so loyal, they’re more likely to overlook an undesirable purchase experience. Also, loyal customers are great supporters who will refer your brand to friends, family, and colleagues. And referrals from loyal customers are the best kind of targeted marketing strategy you could ask for.  

Let’s take a closer look at why customer loyalty is important:

Many people are willing to pay a little extra money for a product or service that consistently works for them. Quality service can be displayed from the second customers engage your product, whether it’s in-store or online, to the moment they’ve completed their purchase—and even beyond that. Following up with customers for feedback is also part of the the customer service experience.

Once customers find a quality product or service that meets their needs, they’re more likely to buy other goods you sell. Trust has much to do with this concept. If your product or service is successfully consistent with meeting customer needs, they will grow to trust that brand. Kraft Heinz Company has established brands that are trusted global household names like its Kraft Mac & Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, Jell-O, Oscar Mayer, Kool-Aid, Velveeta, and more.

Loyal customers are willing to forgive almost any customer service mistake if it’s an isolated incident. Mistakes happen. As long as companies swiftly solve customer issues with empathy, customers are likely to remain loyal to the brand. 

Customers who are emotionally loyal to a product or service are more convincing when they recommend it to others. Happy customers are most likely willing to share how a product or service has improved their lives. Loyal customers are walking testimonials that can reach potential customers you may have overlooked. 

With the right marketing strategy, you can target loyal customers with a customer loyalty survey and find out how you’re successfully meeting their needs. You can also gather suggestions for improving customer service and selling your product. This can help you discover other brand-related wants and needs of your customers.

Start with simple “yes” or “no” options, then use skip logic to focus responses on the product, customer service, or website usability.

Questions such as, “Did our product arrive on time and in good condition?” There could easily be two completely different responses for each part of the questions.

Ask questions about what makes your organization different from competitors, such as ambiance, personality, or a unique product. There might be something special about your company that you can capitalize on in advertisements or on your website.

Is a customer loyalty program something your shoppers want? Do people actually use those punch cards? Does it take too long to earn a reward? Is it the only reason customers are returning to your store? The answers to these questions will help you set up or improve a loyalty program.

Related: A guide on measuring and improving the customer experience

When you understand shoppers’ interests, goals, and pet peeves, you can adjust and refine your inventory and service to keep them coming back for more. Here’s how.

Ask your customers if they would do business with you again. It might be nerve-wracking to hear about a client who may never come back, but it’s information you absolutely must have. Is it your great service? The customer loyalty card? Habit? Not only does it give you an opportunity to correct the issue, but it helps you solve the problem for future shoppers.

Consumer loyalty statistics show referrals are one of the top ways to get new business. If a customer is delighted, they’ll talk about it with their friends, family, and social networks. If a client is merely satisfied, they may not. Get your company to the enviable position of enjoying word-of-mouth referrals when you conduct a customer satisfaction survey. Many businesses use a Net Promoter Score survey to discover if their customers are apt to refer them to their friends Learn about how to earn consumer trust and started getting new referrals. You can also discover if they’ve already made referrals, and if so, what encouraged them to do so.

Getting customer feedback is a great way to pinpoint why consumers return. Ask some of your best customers to answer questions about their brand loyalty and you may be surprised by the results. For instance, you might be extremely proud of your apple pie, but it’s actually the coffee that gets people in your restaurant’s doors.

Thicken that skin and invite criticism with a questionnaire on consumer loyalty that expects brutal honesty. From the color of the walls to the music you’re playing, little things add up to the total experience. If you have an appropriate audience, you might even think about making this kind of customer survey a little tongue-in-cheek. For example, invite customers to “let us have it,” and provide fun, humorous response options.

Learn how to measure what your customers like—and dislike—over time by reading our ultimate guide to collecting customer feedback.

At SurveyMonkey, we’ve developed a collection of methodologist-certified customer loyalty questionnaire templates to get you started quickly and easily. Of course, you’re always welcome to customize the questions to make your survey as specific as you’d like.

Use this customer satisfaction survey template to measure consumer satisfaction with your company, product, and services. Use skip logic to allow your customers to answer questions about products or services they’ve used, and gain insights for improvement.
Preview template

See how your front-line customer service and support agents are doing. Measure customer service hold times, problem resolution, product/service knowledge, and representative attitude.
Preview template

This customer satisfaction survey template is designed for when your clients aren’t just clients, they’re businesses too. Identify how satisfied your customers are with your timeliness, professionalism, and service.
Preview template

The first step in building customer loyalty is to understand what kind of information you want to collect to help you increase your customer loyalty base. The next step is to ask the right questions that result in valuable responses to help you achieve your goal. You can access the SurveyMonkey Net Promoter Score® and brand loyalty template that lets you gauge the level of customer satisfaction. 

A good customer experience is critical to brand loyalty. While loyal customers may be more forgiving of mistakes your company makes, the other customers won’t be. Consequently, an unpleasant experience or mistake for them could result in a lost customer. Furthermore, this unsatisfied customer could share their experience with others, rendering a reverse effect of a loyal customer referral. 

Using a customer loyalty survey, you can also assess your brand’s buying power. Buying power relates to your customers’ financial ability to purchase your goods. It also helps you assess how loyal customers remain to your product and services due to inflation. For instance, if customers are still willing to pay a premium price for your goods even though gas prices have increased, then you know you have strong buying power and loyal customers.  

Here is a detailed list explaining five basic ways to build and sustain customer loyalty: 

Another way to build and retain customer loyalty is through advocacy. Advocacy is a great outreach marketing method to evoke emotions that should reflect your brand’s mission and core values. It should also help propel the purpose of your product or service, which is to solve a specific customer problem. You can also use social media and your customer loyalty program to offer product-related tutorials, educational videos, and responses to customer feedback.      

Now you know how to build customer loyalty using a customer loyalty survey. Explore SurveyMonkey to customize your own. Customize logo, colors, and the survey URL. Gain insight into customer sentiments about your customer service. 

NPS®, Net Promoter® & Net Promoter® Score are registered trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company and Fred Reichheld.