Good customer service is the foundation of any sound business strategy. If you’re not treating your customers right, you won’t have any customers to treat.
Today’s lesson is simple: A little bit goes a long way. It takes (very) little to make a dramatic impact on your customers and clients – a small gesture can turn your ordinary customer into a brand ambassador and evangelist – someone who will promote you and recommend you to their own community.
If you’re not tapping into the potential of your consumers, and the impact they can (and do) have on your business – you’re missing out on a massive opportunity to generate new business and life-long ‘raving fans’.
Don’t believe me? Check out the video above (Can’t see the video? Click Here) to learn more about how EMMA, an e-mail marketing company based out of Nashville, with a simple gesture, inspired me to dedicate an entire post to their outstanding customer service.
This is how you get people talking – this is how you turn ordinary people into customers – it’s not about giving away free stuff (although free stuff is always nice) – it’s about making your customers feel valuable.
Why? Because they are.
DISCLOSURE: EMMA in no way asked me to post this video or sing their praises. I believe in what they do and highly recommend them to my clients (and all of you) because they do outstanding work, their customer service is top-notch, and their product is one of the best out there in the e-mail marketing biz.
(To learn more about EMMA and what they can do for you, check out their website)
What examples of outstanding customer service can you share?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow – that’s a really shiny medal of awesomeness. Isn’t it great to be able to talk or sing the praises of great customer service? Nice one Matt.
Here’s a story of how a song helped to turn a poor customer experience (ongoing since February 2010) into a good resolution for a friend of mine. Should warn you now – it’s me doing the singing so turn the volume down a touch. Hope you like it. The supplier and the customer both did!
http://bit.ly/9oVxRP
On top of it all, you dabble as a musician, eh? Well done…I think something worth pointing out that you mention is that BAD experiences present golden opportunities for you, as the business owner, to right the wrong and create raving fans. Turning a frown upside down is super-lame to say, I know – but sometimes your best ‘fans’ are brought about by what started as a negative experience.
I had an experience with AirTran a few years back that will always live as the *BEST* customer service experience ever in my mind. I was up in Boston on business, and stopped outside the terminal to have a cigarette before checking in for my flight. An AirTran employee walked up and asked for a light, and we struck up a brief conversation – was I flying with them, where was I headed, what brought me to Boston, etc. He thanked me for the light, and told me that when I was ready to check in, make sure I got in his line.
I wasn’t looking for anything special in the way of treatment — I gave him a light, not a kidney — but I did happen to end up in his line by luck of the draw. He smiled, tapped away at his keyboard, handed my my boarding pass, and said “I’ve upgraded you to first class. Enjoy your flight.” Completely unexpected, but how cool is that? It was the first time I had ever flown first class, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great customer service story, right? Wait — there’s more.
A few months later, I’m back in Boston and that same guy is working the ticket counter. I got in his line, waited until *after* he handed me my coach boarding pass, and then thanked him for his previous kindness. I really didn’t want or expect anything more — I just wanted him to know how much I appreciated his making my previous trip special, and that I remembered him for it. He laughed, grabbed the boarding pass out of my hand (despite my protests), and handed me yet another upgraded seat. “I’m glad you enjoyed the first class experience. I hope you enjoy this one just as much.”
Now THAT, my friends, is good customer care. I continued to book with them for my business travel when possible, and have told this story to at least 100 people. Two first class upgrades was apparently advertising money well spent.
Great story Colleen – and it’s these little random acts of appreciation that go a long way. An experience that you had months ago has led you hear to share that experience, the name of the company, and specific details about what happened (of course now I’m going to expect first-class upgrades every time I fly AirTran
In an era where it seems like we only focus on the negative and complain about everything incessantly, it’s nice to see someone, especially Corporate America, be spotlighted for goodness. Thanks for that. Now, going against my previous sentiment, my one issue with this scenario — while yes, free stuff is great, who doesn’t love it?!, do we really need stuff like what you received from Emma??? Knick-knacks, tchotchkes, crap. I’d challenge companies to reward customers with socially-conscious gifts. While getting a letter from Emma stating that a tree has been planted in your name probably isn’t as sexy as your medal, and not necessarily a route I’d suggest, what about a book on small ways to make big impacts? Or what if they sponsored the back to school supplies of a low-income child in your name? Or bigger picture, what if they sponsored the education of a student [Rwandan elementary school student is $150 a year] every year for as long as you remained a customer? Even if they just sent you a notebook and suggested you fill it with personal goals or brainstorms on ways you can give back. Was just adding up the pricetag of your swag, multiplied by the amount of other Emma customers who also were recipients, and can’t help but feel there’s a better way to spend that money AND to thank you for being a customer. [shrug]
PS – saw your Unconference at SDC this past weekend, enjoyed it immensely.
Hi Saya –
Thanks for coming to my session at Social Dev Camp last weekend – I’m glad you enjoyed it.
EMMA actually is doing a lot to ‘give back’ – I encourage you to review their sustainability and social initiatives here –> http://myemma.com/meet-us/how-we-give-back/ (this was one of the reasons I went with EMMA in the first place.
In terms of the gift they gave – I count the reusable mug as yet another way to ‘give back’ – less paper cups = better for the environment. Again, overall win.
I don’t see EMMA as bribing me or anything of that nature in any way. I have been a loyal customer for over a year now, have recommended many clients to them, and they have never disappointed in service. This is simply icing on the cake, and to reiterate my point, a little something like this can go a LONG way.
Just make sure you back up your ‘gifts’ with great service – in EMMA’s case, they certainly have.