Entrepreneurs´s Journal


January / February 2004
Your Best Representative - A Happy Customer
By Emily McHugh

Companies that spend a major part of their time finding more ways to meet the needs of their customers are spending their time very well indeed. Somehow along the way, the customer, the ultimate component in the success or failure of any enterprise, can oftentimes end up occupying less than a central position. The every day operations, the struggles, the basic Sturm und Drang of business can obfuscate the entrepreneur's focus. In many companies, customer service is oftentimes relegated to an afterthought - a department that is a necessary evil that handles all the unglamorous stuff once the more glamorous sale is made. But it is precisely with those so-called unglamorous tasks that the company has the opportunity to deliver on all its sales promises - great, fast, friendly service, quality second to none....

Fortunately, there are companies out there that truly get it. Customers matter!! Not only do the customers matter, but what they say about your brand or product, and who they say it to, matter just as much. No Super Bowl TV ad, billboard, or banner ad can do for your company what a satisfied and enthusiastic customer can. When most people are excited about something, they feel an inner compulsion to share what they know, spread the good news if you will. So what propels customers to inspire others and moreover, what makes others pay attention to what they say? These were precisely the questions that co-authors Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell set out to answer in their book Creating Customer Evangelists (www.CreatingCustomerEvangelists.com).

I recently had the opportunity to ask Jackie to expound on the results of her research that led to her book. Jackie conducted studies on companies that "got it" with regard to their customer base. She researched companies such as Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Southwest Airlines, and IBM. These companies managed to skillfully harness the goodwill generated by their customers to further grow their businesses. When I asked Jackie how small unknown businesses can go about creating some of the same buzz as larger companies, she highlighted the following: 1) first the product needs to be worth talking about - what would your customers say about your product if you asked them to describe it to someone else and what reason would they give for buying your product; 2) ask for feedback on how to improve; and 3) find out who is talking about you - do a Google search and see what surfaces about you or your company. Once you start gathering this first round of information, it is time to organize to create an ongoing customer dialogue which generates buzz.

Jackie goes on to suggest that it is important to create a database of customers, gather their stories and use them diligently in all your marketing materials. Feature your customers on your homepage, not buried in the far recesses of your website. She also highlights the importance of developing appropriate communication channels with your customers that are not just about promotions and sales. She challenges companies to think of issues their customers face and not just focus on the product itself, but on how the needs of the customer are being met by the product. Use technology to your advantage. Some tools that are available include, online surveys (e.g., www.surveymonkey.com), web logs (blogs) which use RSS technology to increase the reach of your content (e.g., www.typedpad.com), and opt-in email lists that you create. Jackie emphasizes asking your customer's permission to send them information; always provide the opportunity to opt-out and respect their wishes.

Given that we are a referral-based society, a credible third party endorsement serves to tear down the veil of suspicion or disinterest that a potential customer may experience; hence, the tremendous effectiveness of the celebrity endorser. For companies with insufficient funds to pay a Michael Jordan, there is still hope. The satisfied and elated customer will do the same job. Recently a lady called to order one of our pink laptop cases, she told me she had been searching for months to find a bag like ours and she cannot wait to tell all her friends.

How does a company motivate someone to help them or how can you compensate the customer for their goodwill? Jackie advises to simply thank them and let them know how much you appreciate them. Then give them something they can forward to someone else. For example, give referral cards to handout or send them compelling emails that they will want to forward. The key is to help your customer solve their problem in a meaningful and valuable way.

The thrilled customer will always seek ways to associate with a brand that has solved a major problem for them or that just makes them feel good. A case in point, The Four Seasons, arguably one of the best hotel chains in the world, does something very simple that endears their customers to them to no end. Upon exiting the hotel or while waiting for a cab, they will offer you a bottle of fresh from the springs water with their logo elegantly emblazoned on the bottle. This unexpected gesture of consideration transforms a simple bottle of water into a powerful marketing tool that will be re-filled for months to come. Every time the bottle is used, it will trigger the memory of having received it and further deepen ones affinity for The Four Seasons. This is a way to make the hotel experience portable and endure beyond a three-night stay.

When a brand is able to have this type of effect, an emotional bond has been established between the customer and the company. This does not mean that things do not go wrong and that customers will always be happy, but what matters is how well problems are solved and handled that will make the long term difference. Even the best brands have mishaps, but in the end brand integrity and management responsibility will further strengthen the brand. There can be positive benefits from negative situations. Customers appreciate a company that shows that it truly cares and they will certainly spread the word.

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