For example, unlike other musical groups of the day, the Dead offered a unique musical experience at each performance, so their fans were not content to simply see a single show near their home town. Instead, concert attendees followed the band from city to city, planning their vacations around the band’s concert schedule. They were challenged, however, in (a) knowing the concert schedule far enough in advance to plan, and (b) obtaining tickets for shows that were many miles, even multiple states, away. Remember, this was back in the day when purchasing tickets entailed going to the venue box office. In response, the Dead established a hotline which was essentially a recording that listed their entire concert schedule. They were also the first to offer mail order ticket sales, and made them available to their diehard fans months in advance of going on sale at local venues, thus enabling these fans ample opportunity to obtain tickets and plan their journeys. The effect was a fierce loyalty to the Grateful Dead among their fans, as well as a camaraderie among fans that developed from the same folks attending the same shows time and again. This resulted in a deep emotional connection to the band, demonstrating how empathy and responsiveness can translate into customer loyalty and repeat business.