Letting Businesses Work for My Business

The initial reason I switched from shopping at Kroger to Publix was because of Publix's BOGO deals. Saving money = awesome.

But once I started doing business with them on a regular basis, I've been so much more impressed with Publix's culture.
If they've run out of a product I want to buy on sale, they'll give me a raincheck to come back later and buy it at the same price. 
If I want to return something, they don't even ask questions; they simply refund my money. 
If I ask for help finding a product, many employees not only take me straight there, but will also recommend less expensive brands they find to be equal in quality. 
And, most importantly, if I DO find anything to complain about, Publix asks what they can do to ensure I leave satisfied.

Sure, Kroger advertises all of their newly "lowered prices" (which are arguably no lower than before), but when was the last time an employee walked you out to your car and loaded your groceries into the trunk for you?

This is the kind of culture I look for in a company. Publix as earned my loyalty, and would have to screw up pretty big to lose it.

Kellogg's is similar in its commitment to customer care. A few weeks ago, I was on Kellogg's Family Rewards (doing what else?) printing coupons. I purchased the coupon I wanted to print with points I had collected from marked boxes of Kellogg's products. Well, the coupon in question did not print. I tried to address it with RedPlum, the printers of said coupon, but their recommendations did not work. So I brought it up with Kellogg's. They not only reactivated the coupon for me to reprint it, but they credited me with double the amount of points I'd spent on it. And later that week, I received a personalized letter in the mail from RedPlum with two coupons for any Kellogg's product.

Neither were huge gestures, and it probably only cost the companies 5 minutes and $2 each in coupons. But I felt heard and my problems were addressed above and beyond my expectations.

As a customer and consumer, I strongly feel that it is not my job to pick a company to purchase products from. Rather it is up to the company to positively and professionally convince me they're worth my time and money to do business with. Ultimately, the company I want to do business with is the company that does everything in its power to make certain I have nothing to complain about before I set foot in their store or visit their website.