"It was a beautiful presentation, inspiring even. It makes us think and we will get to work quickly, very quickly. Thank you for your clear and creative way of putting it into words and giving us the concrete insight."
It was said that way by the client's group, including the big boss. Many sub-projects would be started, there was a rush. A month later we were asked to make a proposal. What turned out? We were one of five parties that had received the same request. They call it a pitch. We were given three weeks to prepare for the presentation, including answering a list of 107 questions.
Loyal customers are rare
Energy suppliersNo concept is as vulnerable as loyalty these days. With the current lure mechanisms, loyal customers have become rare. Just like loyal clients. The loyal customer is a sucker with too much money, the loyal client has to account to his shareholders at the end of his budget period. Who – in private – all change energy suppliers annually. The “switching sport” is what it is called in common parlance.
It is no longer a betrayal if you break up after a year, or if you have to join the back of the queue of list to data suppliers after a successful collaboration. The gun factor is silenced and the excuse is "the crisis".
Balance in loyalty
It is inevitable that a mountain of billions of euros will evaporate as a result of welcome bonuses, entry bonuses, first six months discount campaigns, free shipping, time-consuming pitches, habituation rituals (how to treat each other) and regretters (back again). Excessive loyalty leads to dormant relationships in which parties are cheated, lack of loyalty leads to waste in order to win new souls. The balance lies somewhere in between.