KEN'S COLUMN
Attaching the right values to ‘loyalty’
We - by that, I mean most of us – are influenced by advertising and PR . If we weren’t vulnerable in this way, the vast majority of the media – dependent on advertising revenue as it is - would collapse. Commercial television – magazines – broadsheets – tabloids - and the ‘comics’ - would all be no more! Unless, of course, they were able to hold their own by raising their cover price massively! And surely increasing revenue in this way is very unlikely in this day and age when we are used to the availability of so many remarkably well directed - and informative - ‘freebies’. And what about the free online versions of increasing numbers of papers and magazines?
I think advertising and public relations are better than good – they are vital. Without them, how much more difficult it would be for manufacturers to launch new products or revitalise existing ones.
What I think is not always understood is that a really good marketing campaign can produce success for a mediocre (even occasionally bad!) product. On the other hand, lack of a good marketing plan can lead to destruction and failure of an excellent product almost before it is off the drawing board.
By the same token, brand loyalty is an important factor. Consumers – clients – who have used a specific product for a long period and always found it satisfactory often continue to use it without even considering other brands.
Customer – or client – loyalty, I submit is different. It is much more personalised and is based on the retailer. It relates to the retailer’s product knowledge, ability to offer a wide range of goods - and the service, information and advice related to those goods. It has a lot to do with attitude, the belief that the client is important and the desire to be of service to that client.
Take my own area of expertise as an example of how customer loyalty works. I supply and fit saddles and have been doing so for more than thirty years. We hold what is probably the largest and most diverse saddle stock anywhere in the UK. Are these two positive assets sufficient to build customer loyalty? I would say they go a long way to help – but they are as nothing without the extra. And what, in this case, is the extra? The client knowing that we will do our utmost to use product knowledge and fitting expertise to their best advantage. ‘Commitment’ on my part is an essential factor in building the ‘trust’ on the part of the client which in turn, produces ‘loyalty’.
Another point I would like to make relates to ‘messages’. Some manufacturers send out unclear messages. This happens in the equestrian market as much as any other – in fact, I would go as far as to say occasionally more so. But this surely indicates the importance of the saddle fitter having in-depth, unbiased product knowledge that transcends advertising. Successful saddle fitting can only really be achieved when the saddle fitter combines in- depth product knowledge with a comprehensive understanding of horses’ anatomy, musculature and movement. That is quite a tall order!
I regularly have ‘student’ saddle fitters accompanying me – and quite often qualified saddle fitters seeking opportunities to extend their knowledge. Inevitably some have more natural ability than others – but it is refreshing that all of them are committed to their job and have a strong sense of responsibility. They perceive – and they are right – that the services provided by saddle fitters are as directly related to equine welfare as farriery, dentistry, veterinary services – and so on.
Most horse owners embrace the importance of using the services of a qualified saddle fitter when purchasing a saddle- whether it is new or second-hand. Most also know that subsequent saddle fitting checks will be needed – and to be worthwhile, they need to be undertaken by a highly experienced saddle fitter. In this case, the truism ‘a little knowledge is a dangerous thing’ is so, so right. The Society of Master Saddlers rightly instils the importance of attaching service to saddle retailing. It is right to do so: without a sense of service, the saddle fitter cannot fulfil the standards implicit within his job title.
Most horse owners understand the infinite difference between being able to tack up correctly – and fitting a saddle! Of course – it stands to reason that it is impossible to tack up correctly if the saddle wasn’t fitted correctly in the first place! Even today, when most horse owners have a fair understanding of the depth of knowledge needed to be a saddle fitter, every now and then I come across situations where the owner has asked her ‘best friend’ ...’my farrier’...’my instructor’...’my best friend’s mother’s boyfriend’ to fit the saddle. Maybe I exaggerate slightly – but it’s not too far from the truth!
KEN LYNDON DYKES is an ex-international level three day event rider. A qualified Society of Master Saddlers’ saddle fitter, his specialities include competition horses and ‘difficult’ fittings. KEN can be obtained at head office (01622 844440) or on his mobile: 07973 501873
