When looking for good ideas about customer service, ask around. Exceptional services experiences are rarely forgotten and something we all experience. I’m spending time this week with my parents, and in asking them about any remarkable ideas they could think of… offered these two great examples…
These ideas share a few things in common. They are…
- an unexpected pleasant surprise for the customer,
- something relevant to them, and
- help the customer fondly remember your brand.
Strike A Conversation
On vacation in the Virgin Islands in the ’70s, Mom and Dad made reservations at a local recommended restaurant – Cafe Brittany on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
To their surprise, when they arrived, on their table were two books of matches embossed with their name on it. The restaurant made custom matches for every reservation. My mom still has them.
(By the way, this was back in the ’70s when smoking was cool and made you look sophisticated – so it was relevant back then).
Benefits Clearly Visible
My mom recently had LASIK surgery performed. As a post-operation ‘thank you’ from her doctor (Dr. Peter Polack, Ocala, FL), she received a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble bookstore and a card that read “Enjoy your new eyesight!”
Mom immediately thought, “Wow, this is a doctor I’d recommend.” He did a great job, the gift card was “frosting on the cake!”
How cool is that? Not only did she receive something for free (surprise), but the doctor reinforced the work he performed… She can buy a book to read with her newly fixed eyes (highly relevant). Each time Mom looks at the book, she’ll think fondly about her doctor (memorable).
How can you use these ideas as a springboard for your own business?
How can you offer your customers an unexpected surprise, something relevant, and something that helps them remember your brand?
You don’t have to be a restauranteur or ophthalmologist to use these ideas… Adapt them for your own business.
Do you have any other remarkable experiences to share?
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My marketing mantra: satisfied customers drive success! When I was in an agency role, I would champion efforts to go the extra mile for clients. Anyone not aware of the Kano model should read up: before you send a gift basket to a client, make sure they’re happy.
Personally, the best example I’ve seen is from a plumbing/heating company. Not only did they fix a problem with our drain, but a week or so later the same guy brought over a loaf of bread baked by the owners’ wife. THAT is memorable (at least to a foodie).
Customers do make a businesses’ world go round. Part of the service centric approach, going beyond a customer’s wildest expectations is the trick to retention, loyalty and long term relationships which translate into lifetime success.
Great article! We recently saw an article written by Jennifer Laycock that read that she had purchased something through a new website and soon received a hand-written thank you card in the mail along with the receipt for the purchase. A little effort these days can go such a long way. We’re surprised more businesses don’t invest some time into this.
Nice article. I agree with both ideas – they both serve to help customers keep your firm in mind over the long run. A brainstorm was started on our website to address improving the retail experience: http://www.brainstormexchange.com/brainstorm/brainstorm.php?br_id=69ed95cd5337c9598d503af6
Lots of ideas have been posted for how the customer service can be improved and made memorable. I invite you to check it out.
Hi, Paul. Your parents’ story from the 70’s proves that “memorable” is the key factor to amazing customer service.
Good post.
This is an excellent post and it brings into focus an art-form that has mostly been forgotten my large retailers. Every time I feel I am being treated well I invariably spend more, and I have to believe this behavior makes economic sense for the company too. The trick is that the ‘extra mile’ service needs to be valuable. I recently walked into a LensCrafters store hoping to get my glasses tightened, I was fully expecting to be charged. However, the nice lady took my glasses and set them for free. The only problem was that she did a horrible job, my glasses were as loose as before. I walked back and said I needed them tighter. Once again I got the same results. At this point I started feeling guilty because the service was free, so I walked out. LensCrafters might be offering this for free but that does not automatically make me happy as a customer.
@All – Thanks for your comments… I’m glad these tidbits inspired thought. – Paul
They are really awesome ideas, thank you.
I couldn’t agree more with this article. Another great example is MidWest Airlines use of their “signature cookie”. Sure, everyone gets a drink and small snack… then, quite unexpectedly, everyone gets a warm, yummy, chocolate chip cookie. It’s unexpected, employees seem to love handing them out, it makes me remember them, and I’m telling all my friends to fly with them. I will certainly be flying with more as a result. It’s getting my vote (and my flying dollars) much more than United’s “Ted” campaign (also known as the ultimate “Meatball Sundae”)…
Sometimes just saying “Thank you” and showing appreciation can be a remarkable experience as manners are falling by the wayside these days. I have also found that responding quickly to a complaint, hearing the person out and understanding why they are irate can be “remarkable.” Customer service experience can be the pits – dialing into listen to an automated phone loop from hell, being transferred over and over can be darn frustrating. As can submitting a query to a Web site and never having it answered.
One quick story about how we try to go above and beyond – this past Christmas, we had a customer order something as a gift. There was a goof up and it had not arrived for timely Christmas delivery. We had our customer service line forwarded to our cell phones, so we received a call at 9PM on Dec 22nd from an IRATE customer. My business partner spent hours tracking down the order to no avail. She went to the warehouse, packed up the item and another as an apology and sent the items overnight (at our expense) to make sure the gift got there. The customer was thrilled and has remained loyal and has become a pal.
We strive to do this whenever we can.
Hi! it’s a wonderful article! But i am thinking how could those things applied to a manufacturing firm! i hope you could give me some ideas! Thank You!
Great Post
Totally Agree
When we started as an agency, we used to gift a quality wrist watch to our clients and once, The deal was just half the price of the watch but we still gifted the watch and since then they have quadrapled the business with us.
I am sure that was because of our good commitment and services,not coz of the watch i would guess.
Small things can actually be a great marketing inspiration.
Aptly quoted.
Cheers..
Varun Badhwar