Great article on MediaPost called Baby Boomers More Loyal To Service Providers Than To Products
by Erik Sass,  highlighting a recent study conducted by Focalyst that was a joint venture of AARP and the Kantar Group. The study measured brand loyalty for products and services with a rather large sample of over 35,000 consumers over the age of 42.

The funny thing about surveys is that they don't always tell you what you expect them to. For years advertisers have been chasing that 18-35 age demographic under the assumption that the brand loyalty adopted by young adults would be carried through life.

Not exactly so, according to the Focalyst study.

This isn't the first  sign that good brands are just good brands and that age-based differences are not that significant.What the Focalyst survey found was that Baby Boomers tend to be more loyal
to service providers and service-oriented brands than other product brands.

This quote from Sass' article says it all...

Heather Stern, Focalyst's director of marketing, remarked: "Boomers are most loyal when companies give customized service, a natural reflection of boomers' desire for personalized attention and rewarding brand experiences."

She goes on to say that consumers are  also willing to pay more if a product or service makes their busy lives easier.

Service is an area where each member of our supply chain can step out and differentiate. If you've ever looked at a competitor and said "What's so great about so and so, my product is 10 times better" or "I have 3 times the selection and better prices," look closely at their service model.

Bottom line-Great service leads to better relationships with customers and breeds loyalty. We know at least 35,000 consumers over the age of 42 (sound like a familiar customer group?) say so--Beth