Tag: rants & raves

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Customer service

Customer Service: Is Business Paying Attention?

That’s the question I’m left with after reading Toby Bloomberg’s recent posts: “Social Media’s Influence on Customer Service” followed by “Social Media’s Positive Influence on Customer Service.”

To whet your appetite – or if you’re pressed for time – here’s the story: dissatisfied consumer blogs about her poorly handled experience with Capital One. Fellow blogger and diva marketer (Toby) e-mails Capital One with a link to the blog post & suggests the company respond. Her posts also generate a number of comments and head-scratching about why more companies don’t respond to these types of posts. Either they’re not taking the impact of social media & “word-of-mouse” seriously … they don’t know how … or maybe they don’t care.

[Sidebar: I love Toby’s quote about conveying the message: “You matter. I hear you. I’m paying attention to you.” That’s the true essence of customer service and delight.]

I encourage you to read these thoughtful posts, and I also challenge you & your friends to respond to Toby’s request if you’ve ever posted a positive experience on your blog and received feedback from the company involved.

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Customer service Marketing

Customer Recovery: A Tale of Two Companies

As a marketer, I know the importance of effective complaint handling and recovery on consumer satisfaction and loyalty.  So I was curious to see how two different companies with well known brands would handle me as a consumer with a problem.

This wasn’t a test for its own sake – I actually had problems with two products of which I’ve been a long-time, loyal consumer.  And surprisingly (or not), my experience was different in each case.

Situation #1

I needed to replace my Maybelline eyeliner pen and couldn’t find it anywhere after trying several different stores.  So I e-mailed Maybelline’s Consumer Affairs and here’s their reply:

“Thank you for your interest in Eye Express Easy Lining Pen.  This product is no longer available, and we have no way of obtaining it for you to purchase.  We suggest you try Line Stylist, which is available at stores that carry Maybelline New York products.

We understand the frustration you must feel concerning the disappearance of a product that you had been using faithfully.  It is never easy for us to make the decision to discontinue any of our products or shades.  We truly regret any inconvenience this may have caused you.”

At least they were empathetic and apologetic.  But that’s all.  There was no link to tell me where to find the suggested alternate product and no special offer or coupon to encourage me to try it.

Marketing Note: OK, as consumers we may be unrealistic in expecting a little extra for the inconvenience.  In marketing, the concept is known as “recovery” – an added incentive to maintain the customer’s relationship.  But the bottom line here is there is no reason for me to continue my brand loyalty.  My favorite product is no longer available, and there’s no motivation for me to try another product within the brand.  So goodbye, Maybelline.

Situation #2

I opened a box of Post Grape-Nuts cereal and it tasted stale.  (Hard to believe, I know … but I eat Grape-Nuts in yogurt nearly everyday, and this time it didn’t taste quite right.)  I opened another box that I had in my pantry, and it was same.  The “best when used by” date was more than six months away.  Maybe I just had a bad batch?

So I called Kraft (who owns the Post brand).  The Customer Service Rep was also apologetic.  I don’t quite remember how she said it, but she managed to genuinely acknowledge my complaint while at the same time reassure me of their quality standards.  And then she offered recovery – Post would send me coupons so I could replace the product.  (A letter of apology, with the coupons, arrived within a week.)

Based on this experience, will I stay loyal to Post Grape-Nuts?  You betcha!

Categories
Customer service

Clueless in Customer Commitment

I watched sadly as my husband & his brothers recently endured a lot of undeserved & unnecessary stress from a bank’s brokerage division’s poor service & staff incompetence.

In trying to close out an account from my father-in-law’s estate, they kept getting the run-around and poor excuses about the paperwork involved … most of it BS.  Attempts to resolve their frustration by trying to appeal higher up were ignored.  So it became customer service’s responsibility for damage control.

And while the situation was handled gingerly by a customer service rep (kudos to her for her personal empathy & professional manner), the brand damage was done.

Unfortunately, this also reinforced the decline in business’s commitment to customers as reported in the Strativity Group’s annual Customer Experience Management Survey.  Results from last year’s study found “companies remained self-centric, transaction-based, and product-focused.”

Based on my family’s experience, you can count SunTrust Investments among the clueless.

Categories
Engagement Marketing

The Sweet Sound of Brand Love

I just attended my first brand “love-in” experience thanks to my husband, a member of the Martin Owners Club – a special group of Martin Guitar aficionados.

The first official gathering of the Martin Owners Club was held recently in Nazareth, PA, site of the company’s home base, factory, and new Martin Guitar Museum & Visitors Center. The day’s events included factory tours guided by employees, museum tours, re-stringing of club members’ guitars by Martin technicians, a special address by C.F. Martin IV (company CEO), music performances, and lots of food and brand mementos.

Brand Passion Inside & Out

More than 500 members & their guests, from 40 U.S. states and six countries, came to the one-day event.  According to Steve Carletti, VP of Sales & Marketing, the Martin Owners Club started just three years ago and has grown to approx. 3200 members. Members pay an annual fee to belong to the club – reflecting their devotion to this incredible brand.

Equally impressive is the employee passion & pride for the brand that I witnessed during the factory tour and throughout the event. Martin & Co. has a dedicated workforce with low turnover. And those employees who don’t play guitar are proud to say that they own one or two (or more) Martin Guitars.

I highly recommend a visit to Martin & Co. The exquisite craftsmanship that goes into the making of these guitars in incredible. Yes, some of the process is automated, but the actual assembly of the guitars is done by hand. (Upon first entering the factory for your guided tour, you’re greeted by the scent of fresh cut wood.)

In full disclosure, my husband is involved with Discover Lehigh Valley (of which Martin & Co. is a member), and he’s the proud owner of several Martin guitars. But that’s not the only reason I encourage you to check out the place.

The Martin Guitar Museum & Visitors Center is a great place to visit, and admission is free. It’s also a great place where you can feel and understand the depth of brand loyalty and love.

What an incredibly sweet sound.

Categories
Musings

The Ultimate In-Home Gourmet Dining

I finally got the chance to experience Gourmet Station, an absolutely delightful web-order/mail-delivered catering service.  I knew about Gourmet Station from my marketing buddy & blog-mentor, Toby Bloomberg, as it’s one of her clients.

It’s an interesting concept: heat & eat three- and four-course gourmet meals delivered to your home … complete with candles and lace-trimmed napkins to enhance a special dining experience.  But until recently, I had only hear about it by word-of-mouth.

Until last month when I had the opportunity to dine ala Gourmet Station.  The meal was delectable – bistro mushroom soup and tomato basil soup (I had a taste of both … yummm!), seared salmon with herb sauce and chicken Wellington (ditto!), creamed spinach, and amaretto cheesecake.

Gourmet Station makes a great & unique gift for any occasion.  And if you can’t wait to be on the receiving end, go ahead & treat yourself.  You won’t regret it.

Categories
Musings

Another Vote for the Caveman Ad

My favorite “Super Bowl” ad goes to FedEx & their caveman spot for its creativity and humor. AND because it’s effective – everyone I heard talking about it today knew it as the “Fed Ex” ad. (Unlike some TV spots that folks enjoy, yet can’t remember who the advertiser was.)

However, despite the humorous scenario, there was something ‘dark’ about the ad that resonated with me.  When the poor caveman gets fired & tries to explain that FedEx hasn’t been invented yet, the Neanderthal boss claims that it’s not his (the boss’s) problem.  That’s the point where you can feel the caveman’s pain & frustration … especially those of us who’ve had the misfortune of working for bosses who blame you for things outside your control.  What a perfect set up for getting crushed by corporate arrogance & insensitivity.

Categories
Marketing

CPR for Marketing? Part 1

I don’t think Harry Potter has to worry for a while … apparently Lord Voldemort & his death eaters have turned their attention to marketing.

I recently heard from two colleagues in different industries that their marketing function is at risk — primarily due to organizational changes.  In one case, the marketing staff has been placed under the control of Finance & Administration (yikes!)

In the other situation, the powers-that-be have proclaimed that brand-building and relationship marketing are no longer needed.  Their rallying cry is sales, sales, and more sales!  (Get out there & bring in new customers … Relationship & retention marketing?  We don’t need no stinkin’ marketing!)

Uh oh …

Granted there are organizational and internal cultural shifts happening here.  And while the situations are vastly different, the undercurrent is the same — why is marketing’s value in question?

I keep telling myself that it’s just a coincidence that I heard from these colleagues on the same day, just minutes apart.  Has “he-who-must-not-be-named” discovered marketing?

More to follow … (and you don’t have to wait as long as you do for the next H. Potter book!)

Categories
Customer service

Hooters Air: Flight of Fancy is a Real Bust

If customer service and service reliability are important to you, then don’t even think of flying Hooters Air!  Trust me, I know from personal experience.

In June I booked the airline for a cross-country trip to attend a family wedding in October. Yes, people laughed at me when I told them we were flying Hooters Air, but the choice was appealing based on a combination of great rates AND the schedule – particularly the one-stop/no change of planes.  My husband, brother, sister-in-law and I were traveling with my elderly mother who can’t easily navigate airports that well (especially changing planes).

I figured business was good for them, especially with five new passengers.  But alas …

In confirming the flight just this week, I learned the flight was canceled.  No reason given other than being told they decided to stop flight service from Las Vegas to Allentown.

Damage control: what not to do

So I asked: at this point, since they had our reservations (and money) in hand for several months and it’s just three weeks before our departure date, what were they gonna do to help us with other arrangements?

The answer?  Other than refunding our money, not a thing.

And we’re stuck making other travel arrangements with limited seating (this close to the trip) and almost all fares double in price.

Hey, Hooters: ever hear of the concept of service recovery?  It’s a basic part of customer service —  taking care of your customers when there’s a problem, especially one you created.

Just like your brand, whatever genius is handling your airline’s customer service is a big b – – b!

My marketing advice?  When it comes to wings, stick to the buffalo kind … it’s way too much of a stretch for you to be competent in handling any other type of wings.

Categories
Customer service Musings

Go Figure!

OK, so it’s not a perfect world. Even in successful, customer-centric organizations there are still pockets of staff who don’t recognize or respect their internal customers.  It’s hard to believe, though, how certain areas can get away with this.

One of my colleagues works for a company that is part of a larger organization.  When we met recently, she shared her frustration about a particular (more like peculiar) department in the parent company. In dealing with some of the staff there, her requests for assistance are typically met with one of three responses.  “Sometimes we’re mildly ignored, ” she told me, “and other times we’re barely tolerated or just dismissed.”

We pondered this situation over lunch, including various efforts to bring it to management’s attention at the parent company (to no avail).  And we concluded that it’s just one of corporate life’s little mysteries.

The good news is the rest of the organization is genuinely committed to customer satisfaction.  And the even better news is my colleague and her associates don’t let this one department affect how they treat their own internal (& external) customers.  Way to go!

Categories
Engagement Marketing

Organizational Culture: Assessment (Part 2)

My last post dealt with workplace courtesy and respect as part of organizational culture.

It reminds me of the time when I was fairly new to the working world. I remember hearing whispered references about certain managers and the sympathy given to new staff assigned to them:  “Too bad you have to work for that caustic s-o-b.”

This was the guy who would walk into the department without acknowledging anyone – no smile, no greeting – sharing only a scowl. Didn’t matter whether he passed one of his staff members, or a co-worker, or higher-up in the hallway (at least he was an equal opportunity s-o-b).

Maybe you’ve had the unfortunate experience to work with such a person, or know someone who has. So it should come as no surprise that research shows relationships with managers & co-workers impact overall job satisfaction.

The magic question

To assess the quality of your organization’s culture, all you need to do is ask one simple question: Would you refer a friend to work here?  It’s a loaded question, to be sure, but one whose answer will give you incredible insight into your firm’s culture.

More coming up in my next post …