Anytime we speak with a tech support, customer service, help desk, guest relations or some other frontline representative, we’re expecting that person to put the minimal amount of care and effort into our interaction.
That’s what the modern business world has trained us to anticipate. It’s the new frontier of customer conduct. Even as the phone rings, we’re subconsciously preparing ourselves for another a long, contrived, rehearsed introduction designed to make us feel like valued customers.
Take the airline industry, which has seen passenger complaints rise by nearly twenty percent in the past year alone. And of course, those are just the reported incidents.
Meanwhile, every company knows that few things have a greater impact on brand equity, profitability and customer loyalty than the quality of service. Every company knows that the cheapest way to acquire a new customer is to do a great job. Which means, any company that makes a genuine effort to actually care, won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
I recently bought a moisture wicking workout shirt from a highly specialized garment company. It ran a little small, so I went to their website to inquire about a product return. And to my delight, when I submitted my form, I instantly received an email that said the following.
Just to make you a happy customer, we have credited your account for the product and you do not need to send it back to the warehouse, as it is going to cost you more to ship it back. You may keep, dispose or donate the product if you like. Thanks for giving our clothes a chance! Hope it works next time.
I printed out that email and kept it on my bulletin board for years. I tell everybody about that story. What’s more, I keep that shirt in my drawer, with the tag still on it, as a reminder of what it feels like to be truly cared for as a customer.
Lesson learned, try caring. Because once customers engage with you, they are yours to lose. Learn to feel honored to spend time with them, not see them as a bother or an inconvenient interruption to your day.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What is it about your customer interactions that’s bigger than the work itself?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a copy of the list called, “123 Questions Every Marketer Must Ask,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
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Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Inventor. Singer. Songwriter.
Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.
Now booking for 2016-2017.
Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!
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