by Barry Moltz on August 13, 2010
I have always loved going to the Apple Store. Today’s guest post is from Drew McLellan tells us why and what we can learn.
“Walk into any mall in the world and I’m willing to bet that the most crowded store will always be the Apple Store.
I’ve visited Apple Stores all over the U.S. and it’s always the same story. Jam packed, people playing with iPads, iPods, iPhones…oh yeah, and their rockin’ computers.
Who wouldn’t want their customers to flock into their place of business and just want to hang out, trying new products, showing their friends and buying a ton of stuff. (Over 3 million iPads sold in the first 80 days!)
So…what can we learn from Apple and how can we apply it to our business?
Let them touch the stuff: The Apple Store is basically a huge demo room. You can check out any item, you aren’t rushed away when you’re updating your Facebook status or creating a new tune on Garage Band. They want you to get the feel of their wares.
Nothing sells like sampling. If I can try it and like it…I can pretty quickly convince myself I need it.
Don’t hide behind the counter: Look at the picture. Do you see all the blue shirts? Those are Apple employees…ready to show you how something works, answer your questions or just brag about the product.
If you’re sitting behind your desk, waiting for customers to come to you — get off your lazy rear and go to where the people are.
Think about my convenience, not yours: You don’t stand in line to buy something in the Apple Store. The blue shirt who was answering your questions can also ring up your order. They have little scanner/credit card readers on their belt. Voila…they can print or e-mail you the receipt. Need a bag? No worries, there are bag dispensers underneath the tables throughout the store.
What are you doing because it’s how everyone else in the industry does it that way? What if you looked at it from your customer’s perspective? How could you re-design it with them in mind?
Don’t hire someone because they’re breathing: At the Apple Store, the employees LOVE what they sell. They’re aren’t clerks or sales people. They are zealots. And that’s infectious and effective.
Hire zealots…and set them loose on your customers.
We all have the opportunity to create an Apple-like experience. The question is — will you?
Other than Apple, where have you seen these techniques employed?”
About Drew:
Drew McLellan gets branding and marketing and he desperately wants you to get it too. So he tells stories, asks questions, and milks sacred cows…all to help clients discover their brand so they can create authentic love affairs with their customers.
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by Barry Moltz on August 10, 2010
Does the Great Recession bring out better customer service? The logical answer is yes, since there are fewer customer dollars being chased by the same number of companies.
According to a report released by American Express in July (and reported in Brandweek) apparently not much has changed in customer service during the economic downturn. While 62% said that customer service is very important especially in this economy, only 24% feel that the companies treat them that way.
“The key point for companies to keep in mind is that great service doesn’t come down to what a company thinks about its performance or its own notions of what its consumers think,” says Jim Bush, Executive VP, world service at American Express. “It’s all about … what the customer thinks after every interaction.” This is similar to how I define customer service in BAM!: Whatever the customer says it is on a particular day and instant. Because customer service is ever-changing from time to time and person to person, it is especially difficult to achieve.
The survey also stated that 75% of people look at price compared to value when deciding to do business with a company. But, 65% stated that the top factor in deciding to do business with a company was customer service!
American Express also states that customers are looking for the big hug. “We do think consumers are looking for more engagement from the companies they work with…” says Bush. “We are increasingly hiring customer-care professionals from nontraditional call-center backgrounds, like hospitality, who know how to build strong and lasting relationships with customers.”
What are the factors that customers look for when interacting with customer service? On top of the list is knowledge, courtesy and attentiveness. Notice that solving their problem is not high on the list! Most customers just want to be listened to and empathized with. Most customers realize that their problem is not likely to be solved quickly and completely. If companies will train their people in these 3 skills, it will go a long way to having satisfied and profitable customers.
What steps is your company taking to give your customers a big hug?
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by Barry Moltz on August 8, 2010
We have all seen the “Easy Button” in big time commercials. It was Staples’ big customer service advertising campaign to tell the consumer that doing business with them was going to be easy.
Now, Walgreens is a lot more blunt. It’s not part of any fancy advertising campaign or a way to make them look slick. No lip service for the customer here, just plain easy. Walgreens has stationed customer service buttons in various aisles if you need help with anything. (They have put them in some of the aisles where certain things are locked up.) It solves a big problem in a retail store where no company can afford to have roaming customer service people just in case you need something. This was a huge frustration every time I walked into a ToysRUs store where you could swear that everyone did not show up for work on the exact same day. The customer service experience there was truly painful.
Now, I have ranted on this blog before about the poor customer service at Walgreens. Many times, I can’t believe that the people at the check out register are that slow (except for pharmacy, where they do an incredible job). But, the customer service button is definitely a step in the right direction.
It is important to give your customers several easy ways to contact you if they need customer service. If you are a retail store like Walgreens, these buttons provide a good solution. Other larger retailers like Borders or Menards, have a central information desk that you can go to for help.
The best part about customer service buttons like Walgreens uses is that you call for help from where you are. There is no need to go to them. I can’t help but think that we are not too far off from being able to text from our phones for customer service when we are in a store from our phones. Is there an app for that?
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by Barry Moltz on August 3, 2010
On my trip last week, we checked into The Peninsula in New York City. When you check into this type of hotel, you have 5 star high expectations for customer service. I was not disappointed!
As soon as we checked in, they told us that we had been “upgraded to a larger room.” I just love that phrase.
Now, I have never stayed at this hotel and I do not know what the rooms look like, but I was delighted anyways. Furthermore, I really have no idea whether we were actually upgraded to a better room or not, but it did not matter. They said we were, so I wanted to believe them. I wanted to be excited about our stay at the hotel. It put me in a good place.
We had the concierge at the Peninsula make reservations at a restaurant down the street for us. When we arrived, they sat us promptly. At the end of the meal, a dessert wine and cake were served to us. When we said that we did not order dessert, the waiter said, “It was sent over by the concierge at the hotel!”
Brilliant. Again, whether it was really sent over by the concierge is not really the issue. The restaurant gave us something extra to ensure a great customer experience and preserve a solid relationship with the concierge at the hotel who probably sends them hundreds of people! What did it cost the restaurant? A slice of cake and a few glasses of wine. What did they gain? At least one blog post and a continued stream of customers from the hotel.
When you give the customer something extra they did not pay for, they will be delighted. Trust me on this or ask your customer when you upgrade them!
How do you give that is extra thing to your clients? How do you make them feel like they are getting a bonus (and paying no more?)
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by Barry Moltz on August 1, 2010
I just came back from a short trip to Phoenix this past week where I stayed at a famous resort. I noticed on all the invoices for spa services (and some of the restaurants) there was a note that read:
“For your convenience, a 19% gratuity has been added.”
For my convenience? Who are they kidding? It’s for their convenience!
It makes it convenient for the spa owners to pay their employees minimum wage (or less) but still guarantee a certain level of tips regardless of how they perform.
I hated this policy. It takes away the ability to show my appreciation for the good (or bad) job that was done by the provider. Remember that TIPS stands for TO INSURE PROMPT SERVICE. If they automatically get a 19% tip, how can we insure great service? BTW, the service at the resort was excellent, but I prefer to leave my own tips!
What do you think of this automatic tipping?
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