Every once and a while, either a retailer or a manufacturer does something so amazing that you become a loyalist. A life long customer that not only becomes brand loyal but screams about said loyalty from the highest proverbial mountain tops of the internet. I am this way with very few retailers or manufacturers. Backcountry.com has earned my dedication and loyalty for their great prices, quick shipping, and stunningly exceptional service. Giro is being added to my very short list of companies to which I am a loyal customer for life.

When I bought my first skiing helmet, it just happened to be a Giro. I tried on two dozen helmets in varying sizes and bought the helmet purely based on fit. Having a product that fits is really important in the helmet market, but not enough to create a customer for life. The product lasted more than a reasonable amount of time before needing replacement. And it functioned per specifications for those instances that I get thumped on the head with a descending safety bar or thwacking through the brush seeking out the untracked.

All that is important. And when combined with the right price and the right fit, I turned to Giro again when I needed to replace my helmet. I continued to stay with Giro for my new road bike helmet, which again fit like a glove and performed sensationally well for keeping my head free of steam.

But it is service that ultimately separates the great companies with great products from the best in the industry. When my dog ate my ear pads (sounds like a bad joke, I know), I contacted Giro customer service asking what it would cost to order replacements. The representative and I emailed back and forth a few times to identify the specific ear pads that I required (because, of course, I failed to provide enough information up front as I should have done). The communication was fast, timely, and friendly.

And then I got asked for my address without being asked for a credit card. One week later, two brand new ear pads arrived in my PO Box without costing me a penny. All this in a tough economy when budgets are tight and expenses are being cut. And this replacement was provided free of charge when I, the customer, was at fault and admitted being so plainly.

That is how you make a customer for life. And that is how you earn free marketing that money can not pay for.