Relationships Are Built on Promises Kept, Not Rose Petals

More and more, customers view their interactions with brands as relationships rather than just transactions. The foundation of that relationship is the brand promise.

Keeping a brand promise, however, is often where this relationship falls apart.

In the “age of the customers” more brands are striving to surprise and delight the customer—in Valentine’s season terms, this is like a grand, romantic gesture (like sprinkling rose petals). But when these extra touches come at the expense of delivering on a core promise (being on time for your big night out), the brand needs to reevaluate its priorities.

Delivering on the promise is easier than brands might think. According to our recent study, customers don’t necessarily expect rose petals—they simply want brands to keep their promises. Pearl-Plaza found that 38% of customers say as long as they feel the emotion of “satisfaction,” they believe they’ve had a great experience. And 40% of customers say that when they feel satisfied, they stay loyal to a brand.

As in all relationships, the first step is to make sure the partners both agree on what’s been promised. Step two is keeping the promise. One French consumer surveyed for the study summed it up this way: “In order to appreciate a company or brand you need a relationship based on trust between the two parts.”

For brands, consistent keeping of that promise over time, just like in a loving partnership, generates emotions that build long-term trust and happiness with customers. Once you’ve achieved that, then bring on the rose petals.