Service Untitled

While Cupid may not have the reputation for worrying about customer service when it comes to thoughts of love, it’s clearly evident the diapered imp of romance has never had to deal with an epic proposal like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in the middle of AT&T Park in San Francisco; all resplendent with a 50 piece orchestra and a $3 million 15 carat diamond ring. Still love isn’t always dependent on dazzling drama nor is it only for the privileged or the rich; “WOW” customer service can make even the simplest proposal an affair to remember.

In one of 14 unique stores around the world, Filthy Rich located in St. Augustine, Fla. offers affordable, high quality reproductions of celebrity replica jewelry from collections ranging from the Golden Era of Hollywood to Jacqueline Kennedy and even fast forward to the contemporary collections of Carrie Bradshaw. It’s a store “all about the fun” where a shopper can also find movie props, film cell art, Elvis Presley memorabilia, and even a life size statue of Marilyn Monroe wearing the iconic white dress from the movie The Seven Year Itch.

And so one day a young couple in love walks in to the store to browse the elusive gap spanning the past to the present of Hollywood’s most glamorous and romantic times, and the young woman falls in love with the store, where of course “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” She stopped at every display, read all of the posters, learned, laughed, and left happy.

The next day the young man returned and spoke with the owner about how much his girlfriend enjoyed the experience at the store, and wanted to ask the store owner for a specific favor; the young man wanted to propose to his lady in the store since she found the store to be so romantic. And that is what happened, but with a clever twist and the kind of customer service to be remembered and passed on to friends, relatives, and coworkers. The store owner and the young man arranged the date and time he would bring his girlfriend back into the store. The engagement ring, a genuine diamond purchased from a nearby fine jewelry store, was brought in and carefully placed in one of the contemporary collection display cases awaiting the arrival of the couple.

And so the fun began. The boyfriend told his girl to choose a ring for fun, and pointed to the  real diamond ring. Of course she said it was beautiful, and as the shop owner pulled the ring out for the young woman to try on, the would-be groom fell to one knee and proposed.

Perhaps it is the unconventional and innovative way the “WOW” was delivered that made this an amazing experience because the end result made an emotional impact on the receivers. Since there was no monetary reward for the shop owner, (remember the ring was purchased at a fine jewelry store) could this be another example of going “above and beyond”? While there are no magic formulas for small businesses to guarantee their success, sending customers away who are happy and therefore pass on positive feedback, are the building blocks to repeat business and loyalty. Good service starts at the top; when the owner makes it their mission to set goals of greatness, continue on the challenge for excellent service, and train the staff to be courteous, knowledgeable, and helpful. Keeping promises, paying attention to complaints, and answering the phone help to form those very important relationships because we are judged more by what we do than by what we say.

Of course, throwing in incredible experiences and being helpful even if no immediate compensation is realized is sure to catch the attention of many others. Where do you think that couple will shop the next time?

The buzz phrase “social listening,” also known as social media monitoring, can help organizations and businesses be more effective and build stronger brand relationships. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, media marketing software combines both monitoring and analytics to help us listen, understand, and engage. Through Facebook and Twitter, conversations can be measured to help attract new customers, and ultimately these customers can become advocates helping our businesses to grow.

Perhaps the Dell story with the “power to do more” further explains the concept of “social listening.” Dell’s social media 10,000 employees are tuned into more than 25,000 conversations about Dell every day claiming the more information gathered, the better the company will be able to deliver the precise products and services customers want. The company considers social media an extension of their brand, however it’s not that easy, and it’s not just about purchasing the software. Michael Dell’s “direct-to customer-heritage” starts with training. At the Social Media and Communities University, associates are fully trained and then empowered to listen and focus – transforming “online ranters into ravers.” Eleven languages, 24/7 availability, and participating in social media for the sake of the company, help Dell to continue growing stronger brand relationships with customers.

One can’t separate however, customer service with “social listening”; as Dell states it is a key part of the brand. The company combines customer service phone calls, social media engagement, online strategies, traditional print advertising, and everything in between to further Dell’s recognition.

Once upon a time, businesses would learn how customers felt about them through polls, surveys, and focus groups. Now with “data mining,” specific keywords on social networking, websites, and blogs can identify what is being said, where it is being said, and who is saying it. Of course, the anonymity of sitting behind a computer screen can easily make for bogus complaints, (unfortunately there are no mental stability tests required to type on a computer) but knowledge is a way to be prepared for an action plan if needed.

This information can come from Google Alerts to sophisticated applications, but knowing what to do with the results is as important. Obviously, one can’t join every social network on the Internet, so identifying those who need your product or service, and then joining and being active, will help to build a solid customer base and hear what people are saying about your product and services. Search out the competition, and make your business stand out through customer service and excellent products.

Make customers advocates of your organization and ask those who love your products and services to spread the word. Listen and learn because social media isn’t just about a sales pitch; it becomes a reflection of you.

So here we are in the midst of football season, and wherever I sit to watch a game, invariably the question comes up as to whether offense or defense is more important? Of course, in football every yard gained by the offense means the defense has given that yard up, yet it is the offense who has to score. Then again the defense is in charge of keeping their opposition from scoring.

Since customer service is now getting more and more complicated because prices have become so competitive, does it also depend on a better defense or one of offense? In Forbes, “Defense Can be Better Than Offense in Customer Service,” there comes a question whether going that extra mile for a customer much like Nordstrom’s Department Stores, Zappos, or the Ritz Carlton hotels, actually reap the benefits of the amount of money spent to train the staff, or to give employees the latitude to be able to make independent decisions that can ultimately cost an organization a lot of money?

Matthew Dixon’s book, The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty, contends we should not be searching for loyalty by offering customers the ultimate customer service experiences through expensive programs. Instead of recognizing top customers with promotions and rewards, extensive feedback, or even apology programs,  rather it’s less expensive just to focus on “preventing frustration and delay.” The less an organization does, the less the cost. Avoid loss by targeting customers who may be leaving and look for ways to keep them before they run over to the competition.

Remember the defensive position is reactive; responding by emails, calls, live chats, and social media with the end result of loyalty. Some say if you strive to make everyone happy, word of mouth increases business while others say just try not to lose customers because it’s just too hard to get them back. Should we forget about raising satisfaction scores and just try to avoid the lowest scores so as not to lose customers?

Depending on the position an organization chooses is most dependent on the product or the service offered. No matter which way however, both sides depend on the effectiveness of the customer service department including product knowledge, communication skills, and the ability to take responsibility for their own actions. Personally I prefer the more defensive approach, and have for years appreciated the customer recognition status and associated perks. With products in two different stores being of equal quality and competitively priced, my business would still be at the store with the better recommendations from my neighbors, family, and friends.