Quality, product features and service are all key components of customer satisfaction. But none of those is the driving force in generating customer loyalty.

In fact, it’s your salespeople.

Consider: 80% of customers who switched suppliers were “satisfied” with their existing supplier at the time they moved their business, according to a survey by The Forum Corp.

Customers who felt their salesperson stood out from the pack were 10 to 15 times more likely to become repeat buyers, the survey concluded.

Delivering a distinctive experience

That kind of loyalty results when salespeople consistently deliver a distinctive customer experience. Here are five recommendations to share with your salespeople:

1. Sell themselves, not just their product or service.
2. Uncover the customer’s needs and priorities, then customize the sales approach to meet them.
3. Go to lengths to convince prospects the relationship is just beginning, not ending with the sale.
4. Follow up on delivery, trouble-shoot any problems and smooth over any issues that may arise.
5. Regularly keep up with how the customer’s business may be changing.