Attach to Customers Selectively

The notion of Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) is that you’d like your customers to form an attachment to you, your store, and the distinctive products you sell. This enables cross-selling of related items during a sequence of visits. But attachment is not identical to closeness. There are consumers who will say, “The people at that store make me uncomfortable with all their friendliness.”
     Analyzing what psychologists call “attachment style” can help you decode the degree of closeness a customer prefers. Understanding attachment style also can help you develop more profitable CRM relationships. Two cautions, though. First, it works best when you also analyze your own attachment style and reflect on the retailer-shopper interactions. Second, an analysis of attachment styles should probably be reserved for frequent shoppers whose business is important to you. The analysis requires careful observation of your behavior and the frequent customer’s over time.

• Secure attachment. Customers with a secure attachment style are characterized by the statement, “I’m comfortable depending on this retailer and with this retailer counting on my business, although if the business relationship with this retailer didn’t work out, I could comfortably move on.” These are shoppers with whom you can form a close bond. 
• Anxious-preoccupied attachment. These customers are characterized by, “I yearn to depend on this retailer to satisfy my needs, but I’m worried the retailer doesn’t sufficiently value me and will let me down.” Show closeness to an anxious-preoccupied customer and they’ll cling to you, testing to see if you’ll disappoint. Be sure you’re ready to go all the way to meet any commitments. 
• Fearful-avoidant attachment. “I’m afraid that if I become too close to the retailer, the retailer will think they can exploit me.” These are the customers made uncomfortable by exuberant friendliness. A cool, but supportive, relationship is best. 
• Dismissive-avoidant attachment. “For now, I’m comfortable having no closeness with this retailer, even though I shop here regularly,” say customers showing this attachment style. As long as you acknowledge the need for independence in these people, your repeated shows of friendliness can win them over as prime examples of the payoff from CRM. 

     Researchers at University of Kentucky and Arizona State University used a framework like this to analyze attachment style, preference for closeness, loyalty, and cross-buying among 975 insurance customers over a three-year period. Their results verified the value to a retailer of understanding attachment styles of long-term customers. 

Click below for more: 
Save the Group Hug for Familiar Customers 
Learn the Relationship B2B Customers Want 
Elucidate with Close Business Friends