Customer Relationship Management

Posted on | May 9, 2009 | No Comments

Here in Colorado we’re very fortunate to have quite a few craft breweries.  It’s one of the many perks of living here.  Craft breweries are small, local breweries.  Not bathtub moonshine sort of brewing but just good beer.  Living in the shadow of Molson-Coors you’d think we all drank Coors; we don’t.  In fact, I don’t know of anyone who actively seeks out Coors.  It’s swill and should be made illegal.  We seek out places like the Breckenridge Brewery.  To quote their story:

Back in the 1980s our founder, Richard Squire, had a dream – to ski all day and drink great beer every night. Since he lived in the snow-kissed Rocky Mountains, fulfilling the skiing portion of his dream was easy. But the great beer part – at a time when a “micro brew” was a rarity – that was another story. So Richard started brewing his own, more flavorful beers for himself and his thrill-seeking ski pals.

I was introduced to the Breckenridge Brewery not long after I moved here.  Having come from Phoenix, AZ where the brewing industry is less established I was in love.  Back in Phoenix (Tempe specifically) there was a place called Four Peaks that I loved.  They have a great Oatmeal Stout but more importantly, they had great atmosphere.  Breckenridge reminded me of that.  So needless to say, I love the Breckenridge Brewery.

Well the other day our keg was out at home and we needed a replacement.  After five months and 15.5 gallons of Sam Adams Winter Lager it was time for a change.  Around the same time we noticed a Breckenridge Pandora’s Bock at a wing joint we tried.  It was fantastic and potent.  Well I called up Breck and it turns out they keg it at one of their locations and you can buy it.  My love affair just went from a puppy-love crush to waiting outside your house and stalking your every move.  Things are getting serious.  So as a lot of you know, Crowd Rent is on the Twitter.  Turns out so it Breck Brew.  I was singing the praises of their beer one day in 140 characters or less and a relationship was born.  They use it, like we do and many companies, to communicate with customers.  Genius!

We went with a few friends to the BBQ joint on Kalamath and picked up a five gallon keg of the Bock.  Easier to manage, cheaper, and you don’t get tired of it like the half barrels.  Once @BreckBrew found out I had a keg, they offered me a tap handle with their compliments.  I sent over my address and two days later UPS dropped off this beauty:

That’s right, a Pandora’s Bock tap handle to match the beer within. I said now I need to get one for each Breck beer so I can rotate through them.  This isn’t some cheap plastic tchotchke given out to appease customers, this is what they use at the Breck locations I’d have to imagine.  It’s heavy and feels solid in your hand.  This is quality merchandise that I’m sure wasn’t cheap to make.  And what’s funny, it was worth every penny of it.  I took friends to the BBQ joint when we went to get the keg, they’d only been once to the Breckenridge location and they go snowboarding there all the time.  I turned one friend on to and one off of the Pandora’s Bock.  I told another friend who has a kegerator you can get Breck brews kegged there, he’ll be getting lit of the IPA for a few months soon.  I told my story to anyone who’d listen and I’m telling it now to the whole Internet.  All for a tap handle that was likely $25 retail if I had to guess (my guesses are notoriously low).

The Breck brewery isn’t some massive multinational corporation but they’re not small potatoes.  I’m sure this didn’t set them back a lot but at the same time it shows a mastery of the customer relationship management.  I had already been a loyal Breck customer, I’d purchased $50 worth of beer and another $25 worth of food that day.  I would have sung the praises of the beer with our without the handle.  Now, I’m a loyal customer for life.  If I go to a bar with a variety of beer I’ll see that Breck tap handle sticking out and remember how they treated me.  I’ll buy Breck beer and patronize their restaurants when I can.  And most importantly, I’ll introduce new people when I can.  It may not sound like much but you create a loyal army of customers to evangelize your business on your behalf.  Consider Apple customers.  They are the benchmark for rabidly loyal customers.

Apple somehow created this army of fans that are devoutely loyal to a computer.  Most people use computers to get things done.  Apple fans consider it a lifestyle, a state of being.  And they will, often without prompting, offer their opinion on computers, technology, and why Apple is the way to go.  And you know what, Apple’s market share has increased in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.  Microsoft and Windows are enormous and deeply entrenched.  Apple is digging them out of their trench.  Sure Apple advertises but it’s their fans that advertise for free and they do it day in and day out.  If you’ve ever met an Apple fan you know what I mean.  Treat your customers well and manage that relationship with them.  It’s amazing how loyal and dedicated to a brand a customer can be when they’re engaged and treated well.

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