Cathy Thinking Out Loud: customer service

Showing posts with label customer service. Show all posts

Monday, 15 December 2014

Master of more than just toys! @MastermindToys #Barrhaven have mastered the art of customer service as well!

These days I'm not often WOWed by customer service, and I believe we often see the true colours of a brand or store when they deal with an issue or problem. How a brand or store resolves issues speaks volumes about them.

In life things happen, and not everything runs smoothly all the time. I understand that, and in general I am accepting of an honest mistake. It is unlikely I would stop shopping somewhere because of a single mistake if it is resolved quickly, professionally, and keeping in mind my time is valuable.

It's important to me that there is at least an acknowledgement and stated understanding that part of "making it right" may very well involve compensating me for my time and frustration. This acknowledgement should come from the brand or store not because it has been pointed out to them but because it is the right thing to do.

Speaking from a strictly business perspective it is cheaper to keep me as a customer than to win me back. So the smart way to keep me as a loyal customer is to resolve issues in a way that makes me want to be a loyal customer because I can count on that service not only as I open my wallet, but afterwards as well.

Image via Mastermind Toys

I have shopped at Mastermind Toys for years. I have always loved the variety and quality of the toys I found there. I grew up in the Great Toronto Area (GTA), but have lived in Ottawa for years. Most of my family still lives in the GTA so I often shopped at Mastermind Toys when visiting family.

Image via Mastermind Toys

They carry all the kid's favourites like Lego.

Image via Mastermind Toys

Recently Mastermind Toys has opened several stores in the Ottawa area! This was exciting news for me, and BONUS I happen to win a gift card as part of the Barrhaven Store Grand Opening Celebration. When I went into the store to pick up the gift card, I had the pleasure to briefly chat with the Store Manager, Ruth.

Fast forward several months ...

I go to use my gift card, and for whatever reason it is not working. I call the store and Ruth is in and she resolves the issue quickly and professionally leaving me feeling very good about the whole experience. She understood and acknowledged the error, apologized and took care of it. It did not involve me driving to the store, or giving me a number to call and wait on hold to resolve a issue that was not of my doing. There was no jumping through hoops to get it resolved, just good old fashioned customer service. Ruth respected and valued my time, and me as a customer, and made one little boy very happy.

I am quite happy to have gotten an opportunity to chat and get to know Ruth better. I felt she really was making every effort to make this as easy, quick and painless as possible. I am always happy to share with others about great service, and support local businesses, but rarely do I end up taking the time to give a shout to the people that make a business special. That is something I hope to change starting with a big shout out to Ruth! Thank you for all your help!

So if you haven't been to Mastermind Toys in Barrhaven (Ottawa) you should definitely make a point to visit, and while you are there say hi to Ruth and tell her Cathy sent you!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about excellent customer service.

Mastermind Toys on Facebook and Mastermind Toys on Twitter

Note: I was not compensated in any way for this post. It is merely a thank you to Ruth and her excellent service. It is much appreciated.

Friday, 29 August 2014

Love the Product, But Hate the Brand: It's a Conundrum #WorthTheRead #BrandRelationships

Love the Product, but Hate the Brand

I love reading interesting and informative posts and articles about business, social media, marketing and blogging. My Worth the Read posts are my way of sharing my take on a given topic, with a few related links I think are worth taking the time to read, and ponder.

This week's topic: Products vs Brands.

Brands and products are not the same thing, making it quite possible to love one and not the other. Most of us have been there at least once in our lives, where we love a product, but can't stand dealing with the brand, or more importantly how they deal with us. Instead of sharing other people's posts, this week I'm sharing my thoughts on this conundrum. Since my past experiences with, and how I feel about a brand largely influences the products I choose buy, it really is a conundrum for me.

Brands are like people, in that, we look for the same qualities in brands as we do in people; integrity, honesty, loyalty.

We are drawn to individuals (and brands) who possess those qualities and are genuine, caring and give back to the communities they're in. We view brands as people, because ultimately it's the people behind the brands that set the tone, culture, priorities and messaging for those brands.

I have a theory that at least 50% of all buyer's remorse cases are misdiagnosed, and are in actuality cases of love the product, hate the brand.

No matter how much I love a product, I almost always regret a purchase where the buying experience or the brand interaction has been indifferent or negative. I can never have a truly positive user experience with that product because I feel resentment each time I use it, and am reminded of that negative brand experience. And there in lies the conundrum. So my question to you is what do you do when you love the product but hate the brand's tone, engagement, service (or lack there of), environmental or human rights policies, or whatever is important to your purchasing experience? Do you even care? Is price the only deciding factor for you?

Even if price is a factor, and lets face it price is always a factor for most of us, is it the only factor or deciding factor?

Personally price is only part of the equation, and if I can purchase a similar or comparable product at a comparable price from a brand I like, I do. There are a short list of brands I simply refuse to purchase, no matter the price, and would rather pay more than deal with them. My "no-buy, no way, no how" list is very short, but some have been on that list for 15 years and after all this time I still feel the same way. Note to Brands: Even if you're not on the "no-buy" list your indifference begets my indifference and impacts your bottom line. Just as I'm willing to drive further and pay more to avoid the brands I don't like, I am equally willing to do so to buy from the brands I do like.

If I feel good about my experience I regularly take the time to share that on social media or in person with friends and family. Rarely do I share negative experiences or about brands I don't like on social media, but I also make a point not to engage with them or share their content. And while I may not share on social media I do share both good and bad experiences with friends and family. You know how it goes: I tell two friends, and they tell two friends and so on...

Not liking a brand is almost never about a single bad experience, but instead a feeling that develops over time.

I'm not necessarily angry with a brand, I just don't like them, and they don't know that "average joe me" feels that way because they don't care. In my experience there are two main reasons for not liking a brand: bad service, or attitude (either, online, phone or on social media). If a brand has the winning combination of both then they're probably on the "no buy, no way, no how" list, and deservedly so.

Bad Service: On Occasion everyone makes mistakes, and every brand can be caught short staffed, with system issues, or stocking issues. If these issues are more than on occasion, it's a pattern of behaviour and indifference. If you don't value my time, money and right to a good customer experience you don't deserve my loyalty or business. Think about each customer interaction as if you're required to pay each an hourly wage from your own pocket for wasting their time and that should put an end to that. If your service is bad fix it or save everyone time and frustration and put an "I Don't Want Your Business" sign in the window.

Marketing & Sales 101: I should never feel like I'm in the scene from Pretty Women where I'm not good enough or important enough for your attention or to be acknowledged. Brands shouldn't be snobs! My money and loyalty should be at least as important as the expert or influencer being paid to engage. Based on online engagement and in-store interaction some (not all) of the people working for certain brands are snobs. They believe and convey the message; it is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to spend my hard earned money on their brand. But they are wrong. Just because I don't say it doesn't mean I don't notice and think Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now ... and buy your competitors products.

I can't be the only one who has felt this way, and as a result doesn't buy from a brand.

There must be me x 1000's, which adds up to substantial loss of potential free advertising, profit and sales. You know nothing about me, and never took the time to find out. It's a privilege for a brand to have even a minute of my precious time and money. Just as it's a privilege for me to have even one minute of my readers precious time. In the end brands are responsible for who they hire and the messages they sent. Sometimes what looks good on paper does not translate into real life experience. You may not be able to put into words what it is about a person or a brand that you like, but you know it when you see it. Loyalty, integrity, and honesty are always in style, and there are plenty of brands out there with these qualities that I can deal with.

What is important in a brand for you, and what is a deal breaker?

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about what I think is worth the read.

Note: I have not been compensated in anyway for this post. All opinions are my own, and the purpose of this post is merely to share with my readers posts and articles I find interesting.

Thursday, 20 March 2014

Brand Social Media Engagement: Do We Need a Relationship Counselor?

Maybe it is just me, but I feel like over the last six to eight months the engagement and the tone of many brands on twitter and facebook has shifted to a very formal feel, and the "one on one" engagement I had become accustom to has dried up. Gone are the days of friendly banter and personal engagement. Several of my favourite long time brands seem to rarely respond, joke, or engage any more. I know I am not the only one to have noticed this. It is like some CEO or Marketing Exec has said no more fun, it is not professional.

For me this engagement is what makes me love a brand. It gives a brand a personality. I think who ever is in charge there really understands my need to connect with and respect the brands I invest my hard earned dollars in. It makes them approachable, and sets the tone for our relationship. Believe me when I say it is a relationship, I have been dealing with some brands longer than my 21 year marriage, and have invested a small fortune in them. Do we need a relationship counselor? Don't get me wrong I am in no way encouraging unprofessional, or inappropriate twitter exchanges, and I expect excellent quality, customer service, and issue resolution, but when a brand jokes, and engages sharing trivia or pictures, or has a really fun contest, it is the equivalent to someone saying hello and remembering my name at a store. If makes me feel special, and important. It makes me want to come back. It builds loyalty and a rapport ... a relationship.

If you have nothing other then promotion, marketing, and sales pitches for me then this is a one way conversation and not a relationship that interests me. Lets save time and leave that for TV or radio advertising, or send it to me in a newsletter. All of these are one way communication tools. If your response is you need to be on social media, then you also need to understand that social media is a two way conversation. I have watched a fun comment by a brand snowball into group participation and a collective "LOL", which my friend is meaningful interaction and engagement. Every person who reads or participated in that exchange will remember it, and for me if I haven't tried that brand there is a good chance I will. It definitely makes me want to share my positive experience with my friends and family, and as many of you know I am very good at sharing. You see they too want to feel special and like they are more than just a sale.

So brands don't reduce your interaction! Double it and engage in a meaningful way. In other words:

Talk to Me!

Now might be a good time to reread my post:

I Told Two Friends and They Told Two Friends, and So On...

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about brands and engagement.

Monday, 2 December 2013

TWITTER POLL RESULTS: WHAT BRANDS DO THE BEST JOB OF INTERACTION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT?

The other day I tweeted out a question:

"WHAT BRANDS DO YOU THINK DO THE BEST JOB OF INTERACTION, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, ENGAGEMENT?"

I was looking for the whole package, who is the best at online, social media and in store customer interaction, customer service, and engagement. I think it is easy to do a good job at one type of interaction, or customer service in a single arena, such as online, OR in store. What is a challenge is being great at customer service and engagement in all the arenas.

This poll is not exactly scientific, but I believe strongly is sharing this type of information with people I know. I want to know if someone has had a great experience or service from a brand. I want to know if I should be following a person, blog or brand on social media.

I immediately got so many responses. I saw many brands mentioned more than once. I have made a list of the brands mentioned 50 in total, and I hope you go and check them out and find out why they were picked by my tweeps for this list.

NOTE: THESE ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER - NOT ORDER OF IMPORTANCE OR POPULARITY.

BEST BUY CANADA