There's a customer who comes into your shop every Thursday.

Same time. Same purchase. Occasionally the same complaint about the weather.

You've seen them so often you barely notice.

Meanwhile, you're sitting in the office wondering how to attract more customers.

You've considered advertising.

You've thought about social media.

Someone's suggested a loyalty scheme involving an app, a QR code and possibly a small ceremony.

And all the while, Thursday's customer is standing at the till.

Again.

Perhaps it's time to ask why.

The most interesting person in your business might be a regular

Businesses are often fascinated by new customers.

A first purchase feels exciting.

A new enquiry gets everyone's attention.

A fresh name on the booking system looks like progress.

But the person returning for the fifth time deserves attention too.

They've already made a decision that somebody seeing your advert hasn't.

They've decided you're worth coming back to.

That doesn't automatically make them your most profitable customer. Nor does it mean every repeat purchase is an endorsement.

But it does give you something worth investigating.

What brought them back?

Convenience?

Quality?

A particular member of staff?

A product they can't easily find elsewhere?

Or simply the fact that your business remembers how they like their coffee?

The answer might reveal what customers value most.

And it may not be what you think you're selling.

The hairdresser who remembers more than your haircut

Imagine two hair salons.

Both offer competent haircuts.

Both have attractive websites.

Both have somebody on Instagram showing the latest styles.

But at one salon, the customer walks in and hears:

“Morning! Same as last time?”

The stylist remembers what worked, asks how the customer got on and doesn't make them explain everything again.

At the other salon, the experience begins from scratch on every visit.

Neither salon is automatically better for everyone.

But the first has created something that can be difficult to communicate in an advert.

Familiarity.

Customers often value being understood without having to repeat themselves.

That applies to accountants, dog groomers, tradespeople, restaurants and plenty of other businesses.

Good service isn't always about doing something spectacular.

Sometimes it's about remembering what matters.

Ask the question nobody asks

Here's a wonderfully simple piece of customer research.

Ask a regular:

“What made you choose us again?”

Not during an awkward interrogation at the till.

Not while they're trying to leave.

Just as part of a natural conversation, when appropriate.

The answer might surprise you.

Perhaps they like the opening hours.

Perhaps another business recommended you.

Perhaps your website explains things better than competitors' sites.

Perhaps they appreciate being able to speak to a real person.

Or perhaps you sell the only decent sausage roll within walking distance of their office.

That's valuable information.

Because the reason customers return may be exactly the reason new customers would choose you if they knew about it.

Don't turn loyalty into homework

Some businesses celebrate their regular customers by introducing a complicated loyalty scheme.

Download an app.

Create an account.

Verify an email.

Accept twelve pages of terms.

Collect points.

Remember a password.

All to earn a free coffee.

There's nothing wrong with loyalty programmes when customers enjoy them and they make commercial sense.

But rewarding repeat business doesn't always require technology.

A sincere thank-you.

A helpful reminder when a service is due.

An occasional relevant offer.

Remembering a customer's preferences, where appropriate.

Or simply making it easier for them to book again.

The aim is to make returning feel natural.

Not like applying for a mortgage.

Your regulars can help you spot the next opportunity

Imagine a pet shop whose customers repeatedly ask whether it knows a good local dog trainer.

Or an independent retailer whose customers keep requesting a product it doesn't stock.

Or a café whose regulars would love somewhere to meet after work.

These aren't necessarily reasons to launch a new service immediately.

But repeated questions are signals.

They tell you what customers are looking for.

Sometimes the answer is to add something new.

Sometimes it's to introduce customers to a suitable specialist.

Sometimes it's simply to explain an existing service more clearly.

A business that listens carefully can discover opportunities without guessing what the market wants.

And without ordering 2,000 branded tote bags to celebrate a new idea nobody requested.

The customer who tells their friends

A happy customer may recommend a business to somebody else.

But recommendations are easier when people can explain what makes the business special.

“It's good” is pleasant.

“They remember exactly what my dog needs and explain everything before they start” is more useful.

“They turned up when they said they would and explained the repair clearly” tells somebody what to expect.

“The food's excellent and they handle dietary questions carefully” gives a diner a specific reason to investigate.

Those details are more persuasive than vague claims about being passionate, professional or customer-focused.

And they come from understanding the actual customer experience.

If you invite reviews or testimonials, make sure they're genuine and don't pressure customers into providing positive feedback.

A believable recommendation is worth far more than a suspicious collection of five-star praise.

One useful experiment for next week

Choose five customers who have bought from you more than once.

Not necessarily your biggest spenders.

Just people who have chosen to return.

Where it's appropriate, ask what they value about your business and whether there's anything they'd change.

Listen without immediately defending your prices, explaining your processes or telling them why their suggestion is impossible.

Look for patterns.

If several people mention the same positive feature, perhaps you should make more of it.

If several mention the same frustration, perhaps you've found something to improve.

You don't need an expensive research project.

You need curiosity.

And the willingness to hear an answer you weren't expecting.

Thursday's customer has returned

There they are again.

Same time.

Same purchase.

Same comment about the rain.

Only this time, instead of treating the transaction as another ordinary sale, you notice something.

This person keeps choosing your business.

In a world where customers have plenty of alternatives, that's worth understanding.

The next stage of growth might involve new advertising, new products or new locations.

But before you spend money trying to persuade strangers to give you a chance, find out why some people have already decided you're worth coming back to.

They might be telling you something important.

Even if all they actually say is:

“Usual, please."!