Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
Identifying Barriers to Trial for Theme Park: A regional theme park asked MDRG to help them understand how to maintain their existing customer base while attracting visitors from several demographic groups that had not historically attended the park. The research supported management's hypothesis that park visitors were very satisfied with their experience and uncovered some key drivers of that satisfaction. The research revealed that while operationally the park could continue on its present path, there were several very specific perceptual obstacles keeping some people from visiting the park. The research was used to develop a communications strategy that would address those barriers and, in turn, enable the park to expand its customer base both demographically and regionally.

Mortgage Company Retention Study: A mortgage company wanted to understand the extent to which loyalty to a mortgage company influenced a customer's decision to select a specific mortgage company. Research revealed that the customer first develops a list of mortgage companies from which they will make a final decision as to which company to use the "consideration-set." Once the "consideration-set" is established, the factors driving purchase shift to include more specific service and relationship issues-the "purchase-set." In the past, the mortgage company had focused its resources on the factors in the "purchase-set" and had ignored the unique "consideration-set" factors. The mortgage company was able to refine its marketing plan to include strategies focusing on the "consideration-set" factors.