The title of this post is something we’ve all heard before, that much is true.
Where the train goes off the tracks, in my view, is that not every business (and customer service experience related to it) makes an effort to deliver on it. I’m sure you can think of an example or two…I sure can.
Seth Godin, world-renowned marketing guru with yoda-like wisdom, had a great point on his recent blog post entitled ‘For a Nickel’. The morale of the story (including his particularly relevant IKEA example): “The way you charge for something changes the way people perceive it. “ I completely agree.
Let’s take this concept that Mr. Godin has introduced and put a little different (customer service) spin on it, shall we? How are we going to do that? Focaccia bread.
When I go to a restaurant (of the fancy ilk or otherwise), I think that complimentary bread (foccacia in this example) before a meal is a really nice touch. Simone presented us with one such example at Incendio which added to our overall perception of the excellent service we received there (that and the fact the pizza was so damn good).
On the other hand, when restaurants charge EXTRA for foccacia bread before a meal, it forces us, the consumer, to make a choice…a choice we may not always have had to make in the past. Like we were so cleverly taught back in grade three…we now are forced to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN (to what our inner voice is telling us, not for cars).
In more cases than not, I think, we (the royal ‘we’, that is) opt out of these little ‘extras’. We may potentially view them as ancilliary choices that don’t add to/take away from our perception. Our customer service experience is diluted somewhat through this and will likely impact our ‘view’ when we walk out their door.
Add up all of these ‘little’ customer service experiences and what do you get? Critical mass. Just like our little turtle friend above, you count and so does your experience. Strive to get more out of it…there are plenty of places here in Vancouver (and elsewhere which timinganddelivery.com will cover…will be on-the-road in Delray Beach and Isla Mujeres very soon, actually) that will help you do just that!
darren
