There’s no one better at boosting buyer loyalty than these 10 companies. But what’s even more intriguing are the two practices they all have in common, and you don’t have to be big to implement them at your company.

PeopleMetrics recently released its annual customer engagement study, based on a year’s worth of research and customer feedback. According to the study, customers become “engaged” (i.e., devoted to a specific brand or company) based on consistent, positive interactions over the course of time.

The 10 best-in-class companies this year (in order):

1. Ritz-Carlton
2. Google
3. The Four Seasons
4. Netflix
5. Cartier
6. Armani
7. Newegg.com
8. Wegman’s Food Market
9. Coach
10. Costco

While most of these companies cater to a different niche, all 10 companies were found to have these two things in common:

Dedication to employees: These companies specialize in making sure employees take pride not only in their job, but in their commitment to the company itself (e.g., Ritz Carlton refers to all of its employees as “ladies” and “gentleman”). These companies also offer recognition, bonuses and incentives for employees who go above and beyond to make customers feel like their business is valued.

Quick and efficient handling of Service issues: The study revealed that one in four customers who experiences a problem never tells the company about it. Best-in-class companies avoid that by maintaining consistent, proactive contact with customers (e.g., Netflix asks for instant feedback about every DVD subscribers view and it also sends constant
e-mail surveys, encouraging feedback and asking customers to contact the company 24/7 if any problems arise).

The key takeaway: While the economy may make it difficult to woo buyers with discounts and one-time offers, engaging buyers is a proven way to boost loyalty and keep competitors from swooping in to steal away your best customers.

For more, check out a summary of the 2009 PeopleMetrics Most Engaged Customers Survey.