To accomplish growth in a mature industry, here are a few thoughts for forward thinkers. It's about loyalty, not just satisfaction. There is much focus today on customer satisfaction and customer service, all of which is needed. But remember, customer satisfaction ratings indicate how people feel after interaction. The real emphasis should be on developing customer loyalty.
Customer loyalty is the best barometer of future intentions.
Satisfaction is based on what you did in the past. Loyalty portends what your best customers intend to do in the future. Earning customer loyalty is not just about rewards for doing business like the airlines and credit card companies. Recent indicators suggest that loyalty is created via more customer contact and recognition. A good example is Pier 1 Imports.