Small Interactions

The second key idea that Mark Schaefer mentions is the importance of small, successful interactions between the company and the customer. To have successful small interactions between these two parties, it is necessary for the company to be as receptive to the customer as the customer is to the company. Contrary to some people’s beliefs, these interactions are not limited to just monetary transactions. Each interaction between the company and customer creates a stepping-stone towards the end goal of a relationship that is looked at as a friendship. This friendship does not form without time, though. The basis of this relationship is directly correlated with the amount of small interactions the brand and consumer makes. In essence, the more small transactions that are made, the stronger the relationship becomes, which subsequently leads to a stronger loyalty towards a specific brand. These small transactions and interactions do not depend solely on the customer. For example, just because a customer makes repeated purchases at a certain store does not mean that they will come back for more. People are willing to move on to other companies or products if they feel that they will be treated better elsewhere.

            This is where Schaefer’s theory of people to people relationships differs from his theory on business to nobody relationships. In a business to nobody relationship, the customer repeatedly comes back to the brand in order to get a product, but receives no compensation in return. In people to people relationships, interactions do not actually symbolize the face to face interactions between an employee and the customer, but exemplifies how often the business goes out of its way to enhance the customer’s experience. A customer’s experience is not heightened by money back promotions or coupon compensation packs; nonetheless, compensation is designed to build the consumers loyalty. This can be seen through companies using social media to keep their clientele updated about new products, promotions or any other information they deem relevant. By using algorithms and search engine optimization, companies can boost their online presence to the top of search results in order to connect with more members of the online community. According to Tarleton Gillespie, algorithms are designed “to anticipate users’ psychophysiological capabilities and tendencies, not just specific users’ preferences and habits” (Gillespie, 2014, p. 174). This allows companies the ability to categorize their products in such a way that the capabilities of search engine optimization will bring their business to the top of all search results. Additionally, these social media posts can even provide links that bring you to related areas on the web, such as a company blog or helpful YouTube videos that still include their company, but also provide the user with comfort and new tips on how to better their experience.

            As these series of small interactions begin to slowly accumulate, benefits to the brand and customer become evident. First and foremost, if customers are satisfied, they will continuously return to their comfort zone and establish themselves as loyal customers. They will feel welcomed back throughout each transaction process and be happy with the quality of the product. In return, the company sees benefits far beyond the satisfaction levels of their customers. As the number of satisfied customers increases, more purchases are made, and the company makes more money.