Your #1 Fan
No, it's not your mom--it's a customer who just can't get enough of your company.
At first, he sounds like a nut, albeit an ambitious one. You may
have heard of the nomadic computer programmer who goes by the name
of Winter. According to news accounts and his website, www.starbuckseverywhere.net, this 33-year-old's
life goal is to visit every single Starbucks on the face of the
earth. So far, he has been to more than 4,958 in North America and
over 200 everywhere else. He calls himself a Starbucks enthusiast.
Others might call him obsessed, even a business stalker. There are more of these people out there than you might think.
Last year, Richard Bunn, an 80-year-old Welshman, finished a
15-year odyssey, traveling to all Great Britain's 265 ASDA
supermarkets (now owned by Wal-Mart). The Boston Beer Co., which
brews Samuel Adams Boston Lager, likes to brag about a New
Hampshire man named Pete who has toured their brewery over 100
times. On a smaller scale, Doug Gates, 35, reports that his
year-old Boston store, Showroom, draws "furniture
groupies." His business not only pulls in $1.75 million a
year, it's also attracting customers who come to hang out and
talk about furniture. Raving fans like these are your dream customers, but what if one
turns into a nightmare? Quickly conclude that the customer
isn't always right, says Janelle Barlow, president of TMI,
U.S., an HR consulting firm in Las Vegas, and co-author of
Emotional Value: Creating Strong Bonds With Your
Customers. "You need to protect yourself, your
reputation and your business," says Barlow. Content Continues Below
Otherwise, consider business stalkers a blessing--and realize
they're enjoying perks, too. Pete was once invited to Boston
Beer's brewery after-hours. And the world's most fervent
Starbucks fan may soon find fame and fortune--he's being
shadowed by a film director for an upcoming documentary.
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