A sales and customer service expert, Dr Aderemi Victor Ademilua, has urged businesses to move beyond repeat sales and adopt customer-focused strategies that inspire trust, encourage referrals and turn satisfied customers into brand advocates.
Ademilua said genuine customer loyalty depended not merely on how often consumers purchased from a business but on the quality of their experiences, the value they received and the way organisations responded to their needs and complaints.
He made the call while presenting a paper titled “The Extra Mile: Beyond the Sale – Going the Extra Mile to Build Customer Loyalty and Brand Advocacy” at the annual conference, induction and Customer Service Week of the Chartered Institute of Sales and Customer Service Management, where he was also inducted as a Fellow of the institute (FCISCSM).
The marketing communications expert, who is also a member of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria and the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, explained that customers could continue patronising a business because of convenience, price, habit or a lack of alternatives without necessarily developing a strong attachment to its brand.
He therefore urged businesses to distinguish between customer retention and genuine loyalty, noting that the latter becomes more valuable when customers voluntarily recommend a brand to others and contribute to its reputation.
“The ultimate customer is not merely the one who buys from you, but the one who brings others to you,” he said.
Ademilua identified customer appreciation, recognition, service reliability, empathy and effective complaint resolution as critical elements of an exceptional customer experience, stressing that businesses must demonstrate care and understanding beyond the point of sale.
“Going the extra mile does not necessarily mean giving customers gifts, discounts, or extravagant experiences. It means doing something that demonstrates attention, care, and understanding beyond the basic expectation,” he said.
He said organisations should treat complaints as opportunities to restore customer confidence and strengthen business relationships, rather than merely as operational problems. This, he explained, requires employees to listen attentively, respond promptly, resolve issues and follow up to ensure satisfactory outcomes.
The expert also highlighted the influence of changing consumer behaviour on business performance, observing that customers increasingly research products, compare prices, consult online reviews and seek recommendations before making purchasing decisions.
He noted that younger consumers were particularly influenced by digital platforms, trends and online communities, while other customer groups prioritised convenience, quality, personalised service and value for money.
Ademilua warned that businesses that failed to adapt to these changing expectations could lose customers to competitors offering more responsive service and better customer experiences.
He further called for consistent service delivery across physical outlets, websites, social media, WhatsApp and other customer contact channels, noting that customers perceive these platforms as different points of interaction with the same organisation.
Findings from his survey, which examined 12 dimensions of customer experience, also highlighted the need for businesses to strengthen post-purchase engagement, improve their physical and digital service environments, and anticipate customer needs instead of waiting for complaints or requests.
He recommended clear response-time standards, simplified service processes, personalised communication and systematic follow-up after sales as practical measures for improving customer satisfaction and retention.
According to him, these measures are particularly relevant to banking and financial services, technology, education, fast-moving consumer goods, healthcare, retail and telecommunications, where customer experience can influence patronage and brand reputation.
Ademilua maintained that delivering exceptional customer experiences should be an organisational culture supported by staff training, management commitment and measurable service standards, rather than an occasional customer-care initiative.
He said businesses that consistently fulfilled their promises, recognised customers and resolved complaints effectively would be better positioned to retain patronage, earn recommendations and build lasting brand loyalty.
