Customer Rewards

Speciality Bites with

Paul Hargreaves

Chief executive of Cotswold Fayre

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To get something back you have to give something back, says Paul Hargreaves

I spent some of the weekend working on our new customer rewards scheme. More of that later, but first an extraordinary experience of customers not getting rewarded on the CrossCountry train service from Exeter to Birmingham New Street on Friday morning. I got on the train at Cheltenham on my way to the second day of the Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Soon after the journey started the buffet trolley was “driven” through the carriage at such a speed that no-one could stop it and order. As a result customers got out of their seats and chased after the trolley man before he went into the next carriage. They were told they couldn’t be served because they were out of their seats and there were Health and Safety issues! Quite extraordinary. Clearly up-selling hasn’t quite hit that part of the rail network yet! It was an exercise in avoiding selling anything to some very thirsty customers.

So, at Cotswold Fayre we are intending to treat our fine food customers better than that! Well we do already actually. But to further enhance the pleasure of doing business with my company, I am launching a Customer Loyalty Scheme. Whilst these are quite common in B2C i.e. retail, they are still relatively unusual in B2B situations. Our customers will have the opportunity to win days out and even holidays by spending more money with Cotswold Fayre.

Clearly they are still going to buy on price and this won’t be a factor in those buying decisions, but if we can make the experience of dealing with Cotswold Fayre more pleasurable and help our customers enjoy their leisure time when they are not working, then I will feel as gratified as they will. Most of us work far too hard and too many don’t have the opportunity to experience the richness of experience that life can bring. Some of these rewards such as parachute jumps, track days or romantic weekends away will help bring balance to our busy lives. Any comments on schemes like this are welcome as the final scheme is still being developed.

Finally, this week I have started “twittering”. Hopefully that means something to some of you. For those who want to follow me and get updates on information and offers go to www.twitter.com/Paul_Hargreaves. To read more of my blogs, visit www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk/specialitybites