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Where Does Customer Loyalty Come From?
09/18/2017

"You don't earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day."

- Jeffrey Gitomer, author, professional speaker, and business trainer

In a world of endless options—and the ability to opt out with a click—earning and keeping customer loyalty can feel harder than ever. The wineries that make it look easy aren’t relying on luck. They’re consistently delivering value, building trust, and staying connected in ways customers actually appreciate.

Loyalty matters because repeat customers tend to buy more often, spend more over time, and recommend brands they love. And in DTC wine, that compounding effect is powerful.

Below are five key drivers of brand loyalty you can influence and measure: customer service, perceived value, communication, brand trust, and shared values.

"It’s very logical: There is proven ROI in doing whatever you can to turn your customers into advocates for your brand or business. The way to create advocates is to offer superior customer service."

- Gary Vaynerchuk, “The Thank You Economy”

1) Customer Service

Great customer service isn’t just “being nice”—it’s making it easy for people to get help, fixing issues quickly, and following through. Mistakes happen. Loyalty is built by how you respond when they do.

  • Make it easy to contact a human (phone, email, social links clearly visible).
  • Train staff to listen, document issues, and close the loop fast.
  • Be transparent—own the miss and explain the fix.

Pro Tip: Don’t underestimate the power of customer profiles. Use your winery CRM system to store preferences, complaints, visits, and purchase history so every interaction feels personal.

2) Perceived Value

Loyalty grows when customers believe they’re getting real value—not just “a bottle,” but a story, an experience, and confidence in their choice. Help customers understand the why behind what you do.

  • Explain what makes a wine special (people, place, choices) without getting overly technical.
  • Use social proof: awards, reviews, testimonials, and press mentions.
  • Make benefits obvious: club perks, shipping thresholds, member pricing, access to limited wines.

Pro Tip: Use your reporting to identify what customers actually respond to (and what they ignore). A winery-focused analytics approach can uncover gaps and opportunities you can act on. Learn more.

3) Communication

Loyalty strengthens with consistent, welcome communication. Email often delivers the best ROI, but the channel matters less than the experience: sending the right message to the right person at the right time.

  • Ask what people want: releases, events, club news, education, limited offers.
  • Segment so you’re not blasting every offer to everyone.
  • Mix value + offers: education, pairings, behind-the-scenes, and timely purchase prompts.

Pro Tip: Collect preferences up front with short, preference-based questions on your website and tasting room signups. Then use list tools for easier segmentation and email marketing and automation.

4) Brand Trust

Trust is built through consistency and follow-through—plus smart handling of customer data and payments. Protecting customer information matters, and so does delivering what you promise.

  • Be consistent in policies (shipping, returns, club terms) and communicate changes clearly.
  • Keep checkout and payments secure and up to date (permissions, processing, device security).
  • Show proof: clear product details, accurate inventory, and transparent timelines.

Pro Tip: If your tech stack is dated (payments, permissions, data practices), it can quietly erode trust. Keeping systems current protects both customers and your brand.

5) Share Your Values

Many customers don’t just buy wine—they buy what a winery stands for. Values don’t have to be grand. They can be as simple as community involvement, hospitality, accessibility, sustainability choices, or a distinct point of view.

  • Share your mission and the decisions you make (and why you make them).
  • Highlight community partnerships, events, and the people behind the brand.
  • Make the tasting room experience reflect your values (accessibility, warmth, inclusivity, education).

Pro Tip: Your wine club members deserve VIP-level loyalty efforts. Don’t just sign them up and ship wine—build a relationship: special access, thoughtful communication, and occasional “beyond the shipment” moments.

How to measure loyalty (simple, doable)

  • Repeat purchase rate: how many customers buy again within 6–12 months
  • Club retention: active months and churn reasons
  • Customer lifetime value (CLV): average total spend over time
  • Advocacy: referrals, reviews, event attendance, social mentions

Want help turning loyalty into a system (not a guessing game)? vinSUITE helps wineries track customer history, segment outreach, and personalize experiences across ecommerce, POS, and wine club. Explore CRM & marketing tools.


 
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