Does customer loyalty really mean anything anymore ?!

L

Lashann

Senior Member
Location
Ontario Canada
My hubby and I have been loyal faithful customers of two large corporations for most of our married lives which is almost 55 years. One is an insurance company and the other is a telecommunications firm. We had smoke damage to our home caused by a spring 2019 house fire which started in a nearby unit. Despite our loyalty and having a comprehensive policy it has been a long difficult process working with this insurer and as a result we have found it necessary to get some family members involved to help resolve some ongoing issues with the claim process. As for the telecommunications company we have been experiencing not only higher and higher rates but terrible service in recent weeks. We are now in the process of setting up other service providers for our needs and that should be all finalized by the end of this month. The insurance claim probably won't be finally settled for some time yet but once it is we will definitely be looking for another property insurer. Hubby really does not like change but now recognizes we have NO choice whatsoever because we have been treated unfairly and dealing with these two companies has been very difficult, frustrating and time consuming to say the least. In our discussions with these two companies we have reminded them of the long term relationship we have had with them and although they may appear to listen they don't really care as nothing much has changed. They may however, decide to talk to us a little slower as they now recognize that we are "seniors". Once the dust has settled I intend to write long letters of complaint to both companies to let them know of our dissatisfaction but truthfully I don't expect a reply as I don't believe retaining customer loyalty is a priority with them anymore. :(
 

Loyalty unfortunately, is no longer recognised, and the more loyalty you show to a large corporate company the more you will be penalised with higher charges, premiums etc, and then as you've discovered, often have to battle for what's rightfully yours when making a claim or a request for repair etc.. which is why it's important to change to a different supplier every 12 months, or at least check that you're still getting a fair deal.

Large corporates rely on people not wanting to have the hassle of searching for new and better/cheaper suppliers ( Utilities/Insurances etc) and through those misguided loyalties these companies become rich on your dollar.

These same companies will give you a great deal , much less that you, the loyal customer has been paying for years)... if you sign up as a new customer..

It really is very easy these days to switch to a cheaper supplier.....

Try signing up to a new and cheaper supplier ( first checking their reviews).... stay with them for a year.. then call your existing supplier and ask for a quote.. you'll be shocked at the much lower quote you'll get from them as a 'new customer'... when you've already been paying them high premiums for many years..
 
hollydolly said:
Try signing up to a new and cheaper supplier ( first checking their reviews).... stay with them for a year.. then call your existing supplier and ask for a quote.. you'll be shocked at the much lower quote you'll get from them as a 'new customer'... when you've already been paying them high premiums for many years..
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We learned of this several months ago, about a friend of the family who negotiates yearly with their service provider for better rates. My kids have also been telling us that our service provider is expensive and we could do better elsewhere. After a terrible experience recently, while trying to enjoy a nice little holiday at our summer cottage, we realized that we have had enough of Ma Bell so this week we signed up with new service providers who are not only a LOT cheaper but actually seem to be willing to help us with any problems/concerns that we may have. We are also currently looking for another property insurer as their claims dept. is impossible to work with and frankly I wouldn't trust them to insure a dog house if I had one (this insurer recently bought out State Farm who had served us well for many years). If anything I've learned in the last year is that the Buyer needs to be AWARE .... to not take anything for granted and .... to regularly shop around and complain more and complain "loudly" about rates/price increases if you feel they are excessive.
 

It bothers me when my cable company gives a huge discount for a new customer signing up when I have been a loyal customer for 20 years or so. So much for loyalty.
However my insurance company is more generous. During the pandemic, they offered a discount for the lack of driving miles. I applied and got $90. back on my premiums.
 
I think customer loyalty still exists but I think that most companies today don't understand it or get it wrong.

I'm loyal to brands like Hellmann's, Smuckers, Lea & Perrins, Proctor and Gamble the makers of Dawn and Tide.

"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends."- Walt Disney

"Satisfaction is a rating. Loyalty is a brand"- Shep Hyken

"A loyal customer doesn't consider alternatives. He won't mind paying premium for his valued loyalty. A repeat customer will consider options."
- Unknown
 
AB, I'm also loyal and will continue to be loyal to many 'brand name products" that I have used for years. My hubby and I had a service related business for over 20 years before we retired. Customer loyalty was everything to us and we wouldn't dream of treating our customers badly. However, our experience in the last year with these two large companies that provided necessary services to us has not been good at the very least and at times even terrible. As a result we no longer trust them to look after our needs properly and as such have decided that we have to be more vigilant to ensure that we are treated fairly and not taken advantage of. I am so thankful that I have a family that are concerned and increasingly involved to help us deal with all of this mess.
 
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My bank is back in my home town which is an hour or so away. I was going to try to get a bank acct. here but because of my customer loyalty I'm now covered should I ever overdraw. Which is highly unlikely. Plus my checking is free. Some businesses do have little rewards for being a loyal customer. I've never been too trustworthy of phone companies and insurance companies. In my book they're just crooks. For the most part I think customer loyalty is a thing of the past. Which considering the way things are going in today's world, you would think they would want to keep their customer base rather than lose it to someone else.
 
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About 2 months ago, my son and I took our weapons to the range to spend an afternoon of shooting. I noticed my .45 was misfiring about every 7th or 8th try. I called SIG Sauer and spoke with one of the on-site techs that is supposed to give the owner things to try to correct the problem, but this was a problem that couldn’t be corrected over the phone, so he gave me an address in Germany to send and he specified to make sure that I insure the weapon. Of course, USPS requires the sender to mail firearms using special handling. This all adds to the costs of the mailing, which came to $35.00.

I was originally told to give them at least 2 weeks before I would get it back. After a month, I called the company in New Hampshire and they put a trace on the weapon. A few days later, I received a call from them telling me that they have no record of receiving the weapon. I told them that I had a signed return receipt that states otherwise.

After a few weeks of back and forth, they told me that I would be receiving a new gun and would be their newest version of the same pistol. I just checked the tracking on it and I found out that my pistol is waiting to be picked up in New York and be delivered to it’s next stop.

Although I have had to wait longer than expected, I am satisfied with their response and probably would recommend them.
 
I’ve abandoned brand & business loyalty at least 10 years ago after a couple of the firms I was “loyal” to really messed some up things irrevocably. I do buy a lot of the same products in the stores but would change that in an instant if I felt I could do better. They are just all out for whatever they can get and trying to push the “we care, feel good” is just part of the manipulation attempts.
 
Lashann said:
My hubby and I have been loyal faithful customers of two large corporations for most of our married lives which is almost 55 years. One is an insurance company and the other is a telecommunications firm. We had smoke damage to our home caused by a spring 2019 house fire which started in a nearby unit. Despite our loyalty and having a comprehensive policy it has been a long difficult process working with this insurer and as a result we have found it necessary to get some family members involved to help resolve some ongoing issues with the claim process. As for the telecommunications company we have been experiencing not only higher and higher rates but terrible service in recent weeks. We are now in the process of setting up other service providers for our needs and that should be all finalized by the end of this month. The insurance claim probably won't be finally settled for some time yet but once it is we will definitely be looking for another property insurer. Hubby really does not like change but now recognizes we have NO choice whatsoever because we have been treated unfairly and dealing with these two companies has been very difficult, frustrating and time consuming to say the least. In our discussions with these two companies we have reminded them of the long term relationship we have had with them and although they may appear to listen they don't really care as nothing much has changed. They may however, decide to talk to us a little slower as they now recognize that we are "seniors". Once the dust has settled I intend to write long letters of complaint to both companies to let them know of our dissatisfaction but truthfully I don't expect a reply as I don't believe retaining customer loyalty is a priority with them anymore. :(
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Very hard to read as not put in separate paragraphs. Sorry for my bluntness about it but it's so hard to read in one paragraph like that.
 
Had a terrible experience years ago with Travellers Insurance regarding a homeowners claim,we immediately changed companies after it was closed out.
To this day,I wouldn't insure an outhouse with them,less so since they hooked up with citibank.
 
I apologize Ruth... I have separated it and hope this helps.

My hubby and I have been loyal faithful customers of two large corporations for most of our married lives which is almost 55 years. One is an insurance company and the other is a telecommunications firm. We had smoke damage to our home caused by a spring 2019 house fire which started in a nearby unit. Despite our loyalty and having a comprehensive policy it has been a long difficult process working with this insurer and as a result we have found it necessary to get some family members involved to help resolve some ongoing issues with the claim process.

As for the telecommunications company we have been experiencing not only higher and higher rates but terrible service in recent weeks. We are now in the process of setting up other service providers for our needs and that should be all finalized by the end of this month. The insurance claim probably won't be finally settled for some time yet but once it is we will definitely be looking for another property insurer. Hubby really does not like change but now recognizes we have NO choice whatsoever because we have been treated unfairly and dealing with these two companies has been very difficult, frustrating and time consuming to say the least.

In our discussions with these two companies we have reminded them of the long term relationship we have had with them and although they may appear to listen they don't really care as nothing much has changed. They may however, decide to talk to us a little slower as they now recognize that we are "seniors".

Once the dust has settled I intend to write long letters of complaint to both companies to let them know of our dissatisfaction but truthfully I don't expect a reply as I don't believe retaining customer loyalty is a priority with them anymore. :(
 
Ruthanne said:
Very hard to read as not put in separate paragraphs. Sorry for my bluntness about it but it's so hard to read in one paragraph like that.
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I skimmed it a bit, but agree. Without paragraph breaks, posts are very difficult to follow.

I err on the side of more paragraph breaks rather than fewer.

Edited to add - I just read your edited version. Thank you for doing that. :)
 
I have a question. Do you all read books at all? The reason I ask is because books aren't all separated like that. I don't understand why it's so hard to read. Can someone explain to me why it's so hard to read? What happens when you get mail that doesn't have all the writing separated? Do have trouble reading that, too? Or is it just because it's on the computer or what?
 
Lashann said:
I apologize Ruth... I have separated it and hope this helps.

My hubby and I have been loyal faithful customers of two large corporations for most of our married lives which is almost 55 years. One is an insurance company and the other is a telecommunications firm. We had smoke damage to our home caused by a spring 2019 house fire which started in a nearby unit. Despite our loyalty and having a comprehensive policy it has been a long difficult process working with this insurer and as a result we have found it necessary to get some family members involved to help resolve some ongoing issues with the claim process.

As for the telecommunications company we have been experiencing not only higher and higher rates but terrible service in recent weeks. We are now in the process of setting up other service providers for our needs and that should be all finalized by the end of this month. The insurance claim probably won't be finally settled for some time yet but once it is we will definitely be looking for another property insurer. Hubby really does not like change but now recognizes we have NO choice whatsoever because we have been treated unfairly and dealing with these two companies has been very difficult, frustrating and time consuming to say the least.

In our discussions with these two companies we have reminded them of the long term relationship we have had with them and although they may appear to listen they don't really care as nothing much has changed. They may however, decide to talk to us a little slower as they now recognize that we are "seniors".

Once the dust has settled I intend to write long letters of complaint to both companies to let them know of our dissatisfaction but truthfully I don't expect a reply as I don't believe retaining customer loyalty is a priority with them anymore. :(
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Thank you for making it much easier to read. :giggle: I agree you don't owe them loyalty. I really hope it all works out well for you.(y)
 
Geezerette -
Oddly enough the telecommunications giant Ma Bell has a Mental Health initiative in Canada that they've promoted nationwide for years to help encourage mental health and well being issues with.... you guessed it, the general population! I wish they would practice what they preach when it comes to their customers but don't think it will happen any time soon. I intend to write them a long (scathing) letter in the near future and it definitely should give them something to think about.
 
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MarciKS said:
I have a question. Do you all read books at all? The reason I ask is because books aren't all separated like that. I don't understand why it's so hard to read. Can someone explain to me why it's so hard to read? What happens when you get mail that doesn't have all the writing separated? Do have trouble reading that, too? Or is it just because it's on the computer or what?
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Most books don't have paragraphs with ten or more long sentences. If authors don't take care of it, editors do.

On the off chance that I come across a book with walls-of-text paragraphs, I move on to the next book. Life is short and there are plenty of worthwhile things to read.

When I get an email with overlong paragraphs, unless it's something I really, really want to read, I don't bother. Unless the circumstances are extraordinary - like a friend is processing a crisis, I'll reply with a "Please add paragraph breaks next time. This was unreadable."
 
StarSong said:
Most books don't have paragraphs with ten or more long sentences. If authors don't take care of it, editors do.

On the off chance that I come across a book with walls-of-text paragraphs, I move on to the next book. Life is short and there are plenty of worthwhile things to read.

When I get an email with overlong paragraphs, unless it's something I really, really want to read, I don't bother. Unless the circumstances are extraordinary - like a friend is processing a crisis, I'll reply with a "Please add paragraph breaks next time. This was unreadable."
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Ok but what I wanna know is what makes it so unreadable? I don't have that issue so I'm trying to understand it. Is it a vision thing or what?
 
They're all but gone now, but my wife and I were faithful Sears customers for years, as were my parents before me. Bought both at the store and through the catalog. Always liked the Craftsman tools and had good luck (and service) with Kenmore appliances. In our area, most if not all, of the Sears stores have closed.
 
DaveA said:
They're all but gone now, but my wife and I were faithful Sears customers for years, as were my parents before me. Bought both at the store and through the catalog. Always liked the Craftsman tools and had good luck (and service) with Kenmore appliances. In our area, most if not all, of the Sears stores have closed.
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Sears, was definitely the winner back in the day. No questions asked, replace, money-back, whatever customers wanted.
 
The corporate world is not a stable one. Sooner, or later, most are going to wind up in bankruptcy court. Just because a company has been doing business for 80 years, doesn't mean the new owners didn't just buy the place on Thursday. I think the more important question is not which company has your business, but which company wants your business.
Your job is get whatever the company sells cheaper, and of better quality.
I found out H.J. Heinz is a subdivision of some conglomerate. I couldn't care less about who make my ketchup. As long as it taste like Heinz ketchup.
 
Camper6 said:
It bothers me when my cable company gives a huge discount for a new customer signing up when I have been a loyal customer for 20 years or so. So much for loyalty.
However my insurance company is more generous. During the pandemic, they offered a discount for the lack of driving miles. I applied and got $90. back on my premiums.
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Mine did, too...….but then they raised the six months' premium almost the same amount. Total wash.
 
Lashann, for what it’s worth, I didn’t think your original post was hard to read at all!
 

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