▁of ▁customer ▁loyal ty ▁groups ▁types ▁of ▁customers ▁according ▁to ▁their ▁level ▁of ▁loyal ty . ▁The ▁lad der ' s ▁first ▁r ung ▁consists ▁of ▁prospect s , ▁non - custom ers ▁who ▁are ▁likely ▁to ▁become ▁customers ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁This ▁is ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁success ive ▁r ungs ▁of ▁customer , ▁client , ▁supp orter , ▁advoc ate , ▁and ▁partner . ▁The ▁relationship ▁mark eter ' s ▁objective ▁is ▁to ▁' help ' ▁customers ▁clim b ▁the ▁lad der ▁as ▁high ▁up ▁as ▁possible . ▁This ▁usually ▁involves ▁providing ▁more ▁personal ised ▁service ▁and ▁providing ▁service ▁quality ▁that ▁exceed s ▁expect ations ▁at ▁each ▁step . ▁ ▁Customer ▁ret ention ▁efforts ▁involve ▁multiple ▁consider ations : ▁ ▁Customer ▁valu ation ▁– ▁Gordon ▁( 1 9 9 9 ) ▁describes ▁how ▁to ▁value ▁customers ▁and ▁categor ise ▁them ▁according ▁to ▁their ▁financial ▁and ▁strateg ic ▁value ▁so ▁that ▁companies ▁can ▁decide ▁where ▁to ▁invest ▁for ▁deeper ▁relationships ▁and ▁which ▁relationships ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁served ▁differently ▁or ▁even ▁terminated . ▁ ▁Customer ▁ret ention ▁measurement ▁– ▁Daw kins ▁and ▁Reich h eld ▁( 1 9 9 0 ) ▁calculated ▁a ▁company ' s ▁customer ▁ret ention ▁rate . ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁percentage ▁of ▁customers ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁that ▁are ▁still ▁customers ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁In ▁accord ance ▁with ▁this ▁stat istic , ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁ret ention ▁rate ▁from ▁ 8 0 % ▁to ▁ 9 0 % ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁dou