Google “customer service horror story” and you have
24,300,000 results to choose from. On the more positive side of customer
service, here’s one easy link to “11 of the Best Customer Service Stories Ever,
(http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/120126) compiled by Stacy Conradt
for Mental Floss, with samples that will inspire you and show the brand value
of going beyond just meeting customer expectations to delighting them.
You can click over to that site for the moving story of a
grandparent who missed the flight he needed to make to see his dying grandson
alive, but arrived at the airport to find a Southwest Airlines pilot holding
the plane for him. However, not every story has to be this spectacular or heart
wrenching to merit viral online notice – also read the account of how a hungry
traveler sent a general email to Morton’s Steakhouse, begging for food upon
landing: “Hey, @Mortons – can you meet me at newark airport with a porterhouse
when I land in two hours? K, thanks. ”.
The hungry traveler was stunned to then be met at the gate and handed a bag
with a 24-ounce steak, shrimp, potatoes, bread, napkins and silverware, courtesy
of the nearest Morton’s Steakhouse establishment, more than 23 miles away.
Because “delighted customer” moments (and the easy
availability of cell phone cameras to record such delightful encounters) have
brand marketing power, you’ll see more campaigns in the future like Zappo’s
2010 campaign “Happy People Making People Happy”. Branding itself as “a
customer service company that just happens to sell shoes”, Zappos recently
showcased real conversations with customers and then parlayed those
interactions into an integrated (TV, digital, social, experimental and print)
campaign.
The result? Site visits increased 40% and Zappos saw a 44%
increase in new customers, with a 40% increase in sales overall. Revenue per
media spend increased 488%. We marketers are interested in such data, but
regardless of your business background, sales is sales is sales. That’s what
creates jobs in the real world. And the real measurement of Zappos’ success is
growth from $1 million to $1 billion in 10 years.
1. Customer service is a top-down value, branded and trained
into every staff position. The 2011 NRF Foundation’s list of Top 10 retailers
(selected by shoppers) for holiday shopping is now available: (1) Amazon.com;
(2) JCPenney; (3) Kohl’s Department Stores; (4) Lands’ End; (5) L.L. Bean; (6)
Newegg; (7) Nordstrom; (8) Overstock.com; (9) QVC; and (10) Zappos. In each
case, winning companies’ top executives interject how important customer
service is to their core business when interviewed about divergent topics.
2. Employee empowerment: Ritz-Carton adopted the
easy-to-understand motto, “We are Ladies and Gentlemen servicing Ladies and
Gentlemen,” and has since empowered every employee to spend up to $2,000 making
any single guest satisfied. They’ve become the industry icon for customer
service standards.
3. Tell the story and encourage others to tell your story.
Ritz-Carlton also has committed to a daily 15-minute lineup of all employees
worldwide. One agenda item is the “Wow Story” which calls out and reinforces a
customer service success story, positively motivating employees to be part of a
similar story at the next meeting.
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