What I didn’t know at the time was that I was deeply immersed in Customer Service and the lessons I learned during that time are all still true to date. In retail, you quickly learn a truth that applies to every industry, including today’s digital economy:
Customers remember their last experience with your brand—good or bad.
What stayed with me most from that almost decade of retail, wasn’t the fashion trends or teenage mall energy—it was the discipline of customer service needed to continuously have client’s come back time and again.
At one store, I enjoyed working with my manager and team – we always had a shift working together. During our shift, we were required to alternate being the customer greeter. The company was dedicated to ensuring the customer felt welcomed coming into the store. We were required to have a team member at the front of the store at all times.
It wasn’t about surveillance or sales. The start of our shifts, we were always reminded that our customers will only remember their last experience with you, so make it a good experience. It was about feeling seen and creating an immediate positive experience that shaped brand perception. We are here to help!
That early lesson guides nearly every consulting engagement I support today.
A Book Every Business Leader Should Read: I Love You More Than My Dog
Jeanne Bliss, a pioneer in customer experience (CX), authored I Love You More Than My Dog: Five Decisions That Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad.
During a company conference, Jeanne Bliss was invited as a speaker. It was the first time I was introduced to her work and I’ve recommended since being introduced to it in 2016. I picked it up again for another project I was working on and thought now what I thought then.
A company with little to no focus on Employee Retention and providing quality in their Products/Services is risking their Brand and Customer Loyalty.
In this book, Ms. Bliss explains that the greatest achievement for any brand is not awards or marketing wins—it’s when customers love you enough to tell your story. They become your advocate to their friends and family sharing their experience -the better the experience the greater they speak of your company.
At its core, the book argues: Customer loyalty is earned—not bought.
And it begins with two foundational elements:
That level of advocacy is priceless.
Related Content: Why Products Fail: The Importance of Solving Customer Problems Before Launching
The Emotional Connection Behind Brand Loyalty
As a dog lover, the metaphor behind the book resonates deeply. Pet owners understand the meaning of unconditional devotion.
For almost eight years, I experienced that love & loyalty from my sweet dog, Cocoa, who passed away years ago. Her greetings were always exuding warmth & excitement, tail wagging so hard you would think it would eventually fall off, hitting everything in its path as she rushed to greet you. How could you not smile and feel a warm glow when you experienced this genuine excitement?
Imagine if your business made customers feel even a fraction of that emotion that you feel when greeted by your pet. Imagine if your brand consistently delivered warmth, enthusiasm, and appreciation to your customers?
Your customers would stay longer, spend more with you and absolutely refer you more to their loved ones.
Customer Loyalty in the Digital Age
Today, customer experience has never been more visible—or more powerful. With platforms like Yelp, Google Reviews, Social Media (IG, TikTok), Customers freely share their brand experiences—often instantly and publicly.
In a recent study by Capital One Shopping, more than 99% of American consumers read online reviews before making purchases; reviews influence 93% of consumers’ purchasing decisions.
This is where brand loyalty becomes a competitive advantage:
If your operations, service, and culture inspire loyalty, customers become your loudest advocates.
How Business Decisions Shape Customer Love & Loyalty
Ms. Bliss challenges companies to examine the intent behind their decisions. Every decision—from hiring to communication to product development—signals what your business values.
Every decision leads to an action. Every action becomes part of your story. Your story becomes your brand.
Start with asking yourself :
This is the foundation of customer loyalty.
In my consulting work across agencies, publishers, and brands, one theme comes up repeatedly: Customer experience is an operational outcome. In reality, Customer Experience (CX) is a reflection of:
When employees, systems and workflows are aligned, customer experience thrives. And when they aren’t, customer loyalty erodes quickly—especially in public review-driven environments.
Final Thought: Choose Your Customer Story Intentionally
I Love You More Than My Dog reminds companies to approach their decisions through a human lens. To ask:
If you want customers to love your business as deeply as they love their pets, your internal decisions must consistently support that goal. Your business story isn’t written in your marketing campaigns—it’s written in your decisions, your actions, and the experiences you deliver every day.
Loyalty is earned through consistency.
Trust is built through experience.
Success is driven by the story you create.