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Education

StreetSmarts SM

n. Connect. E
Learn. Connect. Engage.
Lear
ngage.

ith N
vic
atasa Cvijano
With Natasa Cvijanovic

W

Happy merchant or loyal merchant:

Which would you rather have?

By Natasa Cvijanovic distinctions between merchant satisfaction and merchant
Tesla Payments loyalty. Why is merchant loyalty so important?

efining the ideal cardholder experience has Years ago, at an event, I watched a speaker tackle this
become increasingly difficult, particularly in same question and solicit responses from the audience.
the aftermath of the pandemic, as online sales Several sales representatives in the audience argued
D and services have evolved. Merchants cannot about the relative importance of each and whether or not
rely on nonverbal communication when it comes to online the distinction between the two matters at all, until the
customers. In comparison, determining a cardholder's speaker stated "Allow me to bring it home for you. Which
level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction is much easier in would you prefer: a happy spouse or a loyal spouse?"
physical stores.
Suddenly, everyone in the audience had the same response
The cardholders' interactions with a merchant's brand and realized why the distinction is important. It is an
influences how they perceive the merchant's brand. unorthodox method of making a point, but it worked and
Additionally, customer feedback left on online platforms was memorable.
tends to spread much faster than traditional feedback Merchant satisfaction indicates how happy your
does. How can merchants improve their customer merchants are with your service or company, while
satisfaction and loyalty if their perceptions of cardholders merchant loyalty is a reflection of merchants' commitment
are uncertain? to you. Obviously, this goes far beyond simple
merchant satisfaction. In any business, particularly
As a merchant level salesperson (MLS), you play a in ours, merchant loyalty is far more important than
critical role in assisting merchants in providing that ideal merchant satisfaction.
experience to their customers, which frequently results in
happy merchants in your book. Happy merchants, on the A merchant who is loyal to you will tell their friends
other hand, are not always loyal merchants. and family about you and your company, and they will
not easily switch to a competitor. All merchants who are
Throughout my Street SmartsSM writing journey, I have loyal to their merchant service provider are also happy
repeatedly mentioned merchant loyalty, but haven't merchants, but not all happy merchants are loyal.
defined it or explained its significance. To understand
merchant loyalty, it is critical to first grasp the key

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