We all gripe about how bad customer service has been. Seems like “in the old days” everything was better. But I just saw a post over at Dave Olson‘s blog that actually brought a delighted smile to my wrinkled face!
Well, actually, it was the one about that Starbuck’s encounter recounted by Phil that did it. Why was this so delightful? For me, it again rekindled my faith in good customer service. The experience Phil had demonstrated how simple, positive attitudes and a little creativity can turn a potentially awkward situation into a wonderful customer service opportunity!
Here is an extract from Phil’s post. Head on over there to read the full thing if you like:
I did see a pomegranate peach drink, and a tangerine lime drink, but I really wanted a pomegranate lime drink. I asked the barista if I could get a pomegranate lime drink.
Rather than a “No, we can’t do that.” or even a “Yes, I’d be happy to do that for you.” Eric the barista said “Would you like me to mix the 2 flavors together for you? They’re pre-mixed together so you can get all 4 flavors in one glass.”
Here is where the rubber meets the road. All the great marketing campaigns, innovative marketing ideas, creative promotions; well, they don’t mean a thing if your customer service is going to be a let down. It is simple, positive experience like this that makes customers come back for more. No one wants to come back to be hurt again (ok, let’s not talk about those other people); but everyone will want to come back to be delighted again.
So, the next time you plan your wonderful marketing campaign, give a thought to the front liners and see how they can participate.
Technorati Tags: positive marketing, customer service, good customer service, great service, positive experience
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Thanks for picking up my article and running with it. I’ve got another thought for you: Instead of “positive marketing” how about sharing authentic stories from happy customers? As Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell would say, create some customer evangelists. Make something people want to talk about, and make it easy for them to talk about.
And your front liners don’t tell your stories; they ARE your stories. Without your front line people fully embodying your culture, you will become extinct, and we’ll say “remember when…” instead of “Isn’t it great how?”
Thanks Phil! Good pointers! :)