by Scott JeffreyOct 20, 2010
People “get” what you’re feeling—consciously or not. If you don’t really care about your customers, they’ll be the first ones to know.
Great brands don’t just create meaningless slogans like “Customer Service Excellence”—they champion customer-centric values as a way of operating every aspect of their business.
These businesses excite us and make us happy to conduct business with them. It’s a symbiotic relationship between business and customer. The business provides products and services customers need and, in turn, the customers willingly patronize the business and support its existence.
Have many companies forgotten about the nature of business itself?
Outstanding businesses go above and beyond to better their customers’ lives:
- L.L. Bean wants you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. Don’t like the way a shirt holds up after a few years of use? Return it—L.L. Bean has no time limit on customer satisfaction.
- Online retailer Zappos offers free shipping both ways and a 365-day return policy.
- Along with one-click shopping, Amazon offers a Prime program that gives customers free 2-day shipping on most items and their Subscribe and Save feature offers both convenient and economical shopping.
- In addition to creating beautifully-designed products, Apple supports their Mac User Groups (MUGs) and Genius Bar to help educate their customers on how to better use their Apple products.
- Harley-Davidson sponsors HOG groups around the world and annual mega-rally events.
- Search and online advertising giant Google offers a robust offering of free services that help their customers in their daily lives from Google Reader, Google-411, Desktop Search, Google Earth, News Alerts, Google Calendar and Google Docs.
What does your business do to better serve its customers?
by Scott JeffreyJul 08, 2010
When was the last time you heard someone say, Did you see Random House’s latest book release? Or, That CD by Sony Music really rocks!
Most breeds of publishers—book, music and film—have little brand equity with their customers. Why? These companies don’t stand for anything; they haven’t made any clear declaration or pledge to their customers.
Without a clear brand promise that’s meaningful to us, why would we care about them?
Marketers are hesitant to clearly define what their brand represents. They don’t want to risk alienating potential customers who don’t like their brand.
But with clear differentiation you also attract a special breed of customers who love you.
All customers are NOT created equal. Your Brand Lovers generate more positive word of mouth and stay loyal to you. They are your most profitable customers. Why would you want to cater to less profitable customers?
Businesses that stand for something generally have a balance sheet to prove it. We know what to expect from a Disney film, for example—family fun with a dose of magic and limited violence.
Most publishers, however, are in a precarious position, lingering in No Brand Land.
What happens when the Long Tail fully catches up with publishers and product distribution becomes ubiquitous? Why would an author—any author—publish with a major house when they can just as easily self-publish through Amazon and other digital channels without losing distribution advantages and keeping the lion share of book sales?
The lesson is clear: Make sure your brand stands for something meaningful to your customers and serve them better than anyone else.
by Jenny LeeMay 13, 2010
The bar has been permanently raised. Companies like Zappos, L.L. Bean, and Amazon.com have set a new standard in customer service. There’s simply no going back, but apparently many retailers still haven’t received the memo.
I recently purchased a gift card at the clothing retailer Forever 21. When I submitted the order, I waited for my confirmation receipt via email. I waited several days but nothing came. A week passed; still no word. I logged into my account online to double check that my order was placed. The order was listed but no other information was provided.
I called the customer service center. Apparently, I missed the fine print that my order would be received within 5 to 10 business days. When I asked when it was supposed to ship, the rep replied, “I don’t have that information.” To prevent further delay, I inquired how I could change the shipping address to ensure my niece would receive her gift before graduation day. I was told, “You can’t change the order once it’s been submitted.” Even though the order hasn’t been shipped? The rep repeated, “You can’t change the order.”
With every question, I became increasingly frustrated by the customer service rep’s lack of creativity. She was clearly sticking to the rulebook and primed to say “no” with every inquiry.
I asked one final question, “Can I just cancel my order?” Finally, I got a “yes.” The customer service rep replied, “I’ll go ahead and cancel your order. Can I help you with anything else?”
No, you’ve done enough.
Forever 21 needs to take a lesson or two from Zappos. At Zappos, customer service is an art form, not a necessary evil. It’s not relegated to a specific department, but rather cultivated throughout the entire organization.
CEO Tony Hsieh understands the importance of communication and perceives the telephone as “one of the best branding devices available.” Representatives of their Customer Loyalty Team are not evaluated by length of call time or sales-based performance goals. In fact, team members are expected to ensure that the customer’s needs are fulfilled—however long it may take. If Zappos doesn’t have a specific size or style in stock, customers may be directed to competitors’ websites.
Hsieh explained, “People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” So even if a sale is lost in the moment, the investment pays off in the long run.
Forever 21 not only lost a sale, but most of all, a customer. When the bar is raised this high, who can afford to be Forever Mediocre?
