4 posts tagged “customer”

Here's a list (Buzz Canuck) and here's a look at the major vote getters in each category (Brandkeys).

Let's see the ones that made my list: Pepsi, Verizon, New Balance, Google, Subway, UPS, Amazon, Samsung (cell), BP (that's ARCO out here), Sony, Starbucks, L.L. Bean. I got some of the second and third place finishers, but who is counting. Let's see - 33 categories so I hit just over a third.

and talked to their customers? Why they might end up being on the same page - The Customer Page. Thanks to Duct Tape Marketing. 

This rant was triggered by Small Business Boomers post on this topic. SBB said," Hard to believe, that the person complaining to you about your product or service is the best thing that can happened to you. . . . When they are done remember to say thank you. And, mean it." Yea mon! Major props for that.

I do not particularly like Bill Gates as  a business person, but I do agree with his saying, in effect, don't tell me when things are going right. That is expected. I want to know when something is wrong so we can fix it before that pimple becomes a raging boil.

We need both types of complaints, from customers and from employees because they each can see things that are wrong that the other cannot see. And if they are complaining about the same thing, there is something that needs addressing. Right now, bubba! And o matter how high up the corporate ladder you are, when that minimum wage clerk tells you there is a problem, you had best listen because, more than likely, they are the one the customer told. They ARE your first line communications with your customers.

Anyway, SBB also says what kills you are customers that have a problem with your firm and do not say a word. That because they will tell everyone they know and we know just how dynamic that "send to all" can be. Who are you going to believe - the corporate hype on how good they are or your best friend who just had a problem with that same company. More importantly, who are you going to believe - the corporate good image PR campaign or the employee you drink coffee with who says, it's a whole different story inside, you wouldn't believe . . . Right, the company loses every single time without exception. Pardon the redundancy, it is that important. You need that employee who is peering into the dark corners of your business with their lonely light and you need them to tell you when they find something wrong. And you need to say, "Thank you." Then buy them lunch.

This USA Today piece has a lot of good information on personnel - customer interactions and some of the techniques being used to bring those interactions up to today's speed. Gen-Xers like authenticity, not sterile corporate feels that boomers liked (well, even though a boomer, I'm more Gen-X in that respect). Training may include benchmarking where you are at and where you are strong or weak so you can better handle the customer. There are lessons here for any customer-centric business. Scripted responses are out - oh my, the implications for sales, and genuineness in.