Winning customer loyalty through membership

Companies and organisations like to put labels on us.  For many we are simply customers.  Sometimes they may be more specific, such as viewers or students.  For others we may be members.

But as members, how involved are we with the organisation we deal with?  In theory the difference between customers and members is that members actually get a say in how an organisation is run.   We may not exercise that right, but whether we belong to a club, our local church, or a rock band, as a member we should have the right to influence how things are run (with the possible exception of the Mile High Club).

When we do belong to something, how active we are as members will differ enormously. Some of us will faithfully attend every AGM, scrutinise the accounts, elect the officers, sit on committees and generally contribute.  Some of us will simply enjoy the benefits.    

Sometimes, membership is just a label. Members of The AA have not had a say in how the association is run since it was de-mutualised in 1999.  Similarly those getting their breakdown cover from The RAC, may think of themselves as members, but they haven’t been since 1978. 

Loyalty from customers was lost when companies stopped being loyal to us.  One answer to this has been that companies are increasingly trying to rediscover some of the values of membership, albeit without any of the actual rights or responsibilities.  

So-called customer loyalty schemes are now moving beyond collecting stamps on cards every time you buy something, to more sophisticated schemes that look to attract us at an emotional level.  Giving consumers a sense of community, something that reflects their identity (giving rewards based on who you are, rather than what you buy), as well as a feeling of exclusiveness. We can expect to see more companies inviting their customers to be members of something, and that is to be welcomed.

http://www.imember.co.uk