My dad passed away almost a year ago and, as executor, I had to make a lot of official phone calls to everyone from the social security administration to Hyundai where his car lease was financed. Sometimes I got a human and other times I did not. In almost all cases, I started with someone […]
Customer Service
We Still Aren’t Wowing Customers
According to a study from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, brand managers and chief marketing officers admit they’re worried that their jobs are at risk because they aren’t knocking it out of the park when it comes to customer service—they’re not wowing customers. And I think they’re right. It’s just that important. The CMO Council […]
7 Signs You Need to Improve Your Customer Service and Support
Customer service is arguably the most essential part of a business. Without a good customer support base, you’ll find that it’s difficult to generate new customers and keep the ones you’ve already got. No business should ignore a failing customer service system, so here are seven signs yours needs improvement. 1. You Complaints Are Not […]
The Cost of Apathy
I live out in a newer suburb. I say “out” because bits of civilization have not reached us yet. There’s no movie theatre or Target (hopefully both are coming soon), and there’s no Panera. For my family, this almost put our location out of the running when we were ready to move. On occasion, I’ll […]
Convenience is Today’s Currency
Step away from your marketing role for a moment and consider yourself as an average consumer. Think about how you make buying decisions today. For many people, price is still a significant consideration. But it’s certainly not the only one. Whether it’s true or not, we all feel time-starved. We’re trying to pack in a […]
Old Navy Gets It Wrong
Previously, we took a look at how Crock-Pot dealt with the untimely death of a beloved TV character due to a faulty Crock-Pot cord and the social media backlash that erupted from that pretend but apparently emotional death. A situation that could have gone very wrong but Crock-Pot got it right. They didn’t get defensive or […]
A Tale of Two Reactions
Social media is a powerful tool, but it can also hand a brand some serious problems that need to be dealt with immediately. Your reaction can make all the difference. When you respond in real time, you can do it well, or you can stumble and fall. When a brand doesn’t deal with the ember […]
Adapting Service to Varied Generations
I was just talking with a representative of a local insurance agency who mentioned that the older clients love her. Why? Because they love the fact that she listens to them and takes time with them and will explain slowly any technology that they may not understand. This is very instructive. I often say that in […]
Silence is Not Golden to Your Customers
I stopped by Walgreens to pick up a prescription the other day. When I gave the pharmacy tech my name, she went to the bin marked M, flipped through the prescription box and came up empty. She didn’t say a word but just walked into the back of the pharmacy. A minute later, she came […]
How to Create a Loyalty Program for Your Customers
Many businesses are creating loyalty programs because they recognize the value in establishing a long-term relationship with their customers, but many entrepreneurs are encountering tough challenges along the way that put them off the idea entirely. Creating a cost-effective loyalty program that generates meaningful results for your business isn’t easy, and you’ll need to be […]
