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A 98 Year-Old Woman Tears Her Bank a New One…With Style!
Author: Bill Cusick
October 26, 2009
This was passed my way through email the other day. You may have seen it, and I can’t claim for its veracity, but I’d like to believe it’s real. It’s the letter of a 98 year old woman to her bank after they dinged her with a penalty. Apparently it was published in The Times in London. Real or not, it’s a great lesson to businesses who want to serve customers the right way (i.e. as humans), and also for not underestimating the intelligence of your customers, no matter who they are:
Dear Sir,
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three ‘nanoseconds’ must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it.. . I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement, which, I admit, has been in place for only thirty eight years.. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person.
My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application
Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.
In due course, I will issue your employee with PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1 – To make an appointment to see me.
2 – To query a missing payment.
3 – To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4 – To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5 – To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6 – To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7 – To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required. A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorized Contact..)
8 – To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through to 8.
9 – To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.
Your Humble Client
4 Ways Real Companies are Dealing with Customer Experience TODAY
Author: Bill Cusick
June 11, 2009
Let’s not whitewash it. It’s a scary world right now. Everyday, we’re absorbing news via all our devices and witnessing low quarterly earnings, uncertain futures, and friends and family being laid off. It’s easy to just keep going through the motions of cutting expenses, limiting focus to “critical” activities, and just making sure the boss is content.
And yet some companies are innovating right now. Here’s a sampling of how some of them are working on the customer experience (and action you can take) TODAY.
1. Take one small step. A client of ours is focusing on their e-commerce strategy. With limited resources, they are making small changes to their e-commerce process to ensure customers have a better, faster checkout process. This has led to improved conversion, cross-sell and up-sell numbers via the web site.
2. Unite! One organization asked us to come in and rally the troops around customer experience. Summer is their big season, so we are helping every person at the organization - from the CEO to the janitorial staff - understand their place within the customer experience. It’s helped them create a common language and improve their own service standards.
3. Focus on the future. One client in a very hard-hit industry is creating a 3-year plan to get ready for the future. Dabbling in new ways to connect with customers, testing theories, and gathering feedback, they’re able to set the stage for success instead of stagnate where they are.
4. Communicate. Many industries have been hit hard, resulting in difficult times for customers and employees. The focus right now for a client in such an industry is on engaging their employees to deliver a superior customer experience. How? By implementing ways to stay connected through dialogue and communication that’s honest, compelling and relevant. They’re asking employees to celebrate each other and their little victories in new ways. Engagement is up and customers are remaining loyal, even through bad news cycles.
These aren’t costly, cumbersome projects. These are lean and flexible in response to the times we’re in. Anything you can take away here to get started? Let me know.
Happy Birthday, Vox!
Author: Peggy Entrop
March 4, 2009
Vox just turned 12!!! In honor of this momentous occasion, we have posted a new article by Bill:
12+ Tips to Improve Customer Experience and Profitability Right Now.
Here’s just one of his tips:
1. Create a CE Process Map
In order to improve the CE, you first have to understand what it is. A quick but effective way to do that is to get all the people who touch the CE in any way in a room and walk through a typical customer experience. Try to keep it simple at first. Graphically represent each interaction and communication. I guarantee you will soon realize two things: 1) employees are making incorrect assumptions about what’s really happening for the customer, and 2) there are both challenges and opportunities that should be addressed that will significantly improve CE.
Also, in Honor of 12 fabulous years of Voxtopia, we built a sculpture of a Tyrannosaurus Rex… out of bacon.
I present to you: BACON-SAURUS VOX!
(Here he is, pre-cooked…)
(And here he is again in all of his crispy bacon glory…)
Happy Birthday, VOX!!
Follow Peggy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/entrop
Marriott vs. Hilton: Customer Satisfaction or Self-Satisfaction?
Author: Ryan Cleek
January 27, 2009
In response to my previous post, 3 Common Problems With Satisfaction Surveys, I received forwarded emails from Marriott Rewards and Hilton HHonors members. Both Marriott and Hilton are competing for the rank of Best Hotel Program in the Freddie Awards. So, each company sent emails in an attempt to convince customers to vote for them.
Here’s a summary:
- Marriott says they have quick service, mobile access, better points redemption, and more flexibility
- Hilton offers free nights with no blackout dates, and claims to have more awards from J.D. Power and Associates
- I don’t care. Not even a little bit
The real question is: why should we, the customers, take the time to vote? Personally, I can’t think of a single reason. As a customer, I expect and tolerate marketing materials because that’s what companies do, and because it shows that they value my business. But these emails aren’t asking for my business, they’re asking for a favor.
Why should I rate you a 10?
- What do I get in return?
- How will your program improve if you win?
- Will prices go down?
Fun fact about the author:
I only give money to panhandlers who impress me with wit, talent, or ingenuity.
Has Economic Downturn Created a Customer-Friendly Environment?
Author: Bill Cusick
January 13, 2009
It’s obvious many large companies are clinging to solvency through this wide-scale financial crisis. Banks, car companies, retailers; everyone is struggling. You would think the declining revenues would lead to even fewer resources spent on customer-focused services.
However, anecdotal evidence suggests the opposite may be the case. With every dollar of income now precious, many businesses seem to be trying a little harder to keep the customers they have. More flexible return policies in some stores, a nicer tone when you call into the credit card call center indicate at least some companies are starting to “get it.”
One case in point: we just took our Trailblazer into the Chevy dealership for some work. I did so with trepidation, based on past horrible experiences. But, instead, we’ve been treated as (I hesitate to say this and jinx it): valued customers. The service employee has been friendly, accommodating, responsive and even empathetic. As you know, Chevrolet is the poster child for inflated, inflexible, even stubborn old-school business. Time will tell if this is an isolated incident or there is a cultural shift occurring.
I’ll choose to be very cautiously optimistic.
McDonald’s Converts
Author: Peggy Entrop
January 12, 2009
I was just reading this great article in the New York Times business section about how McDonald’s is making a big comeback. What stood out to me is how they have shifted their focus from “being the world’s best quick-service restaurant” to being “our customers’ favorite place and way to eat.”
In changing the food they serve and they way they serve it, they have won back millions of “McDonald’s Converts.” And, as I read the article, I realized… I’M A MCDONALD’S CONVERT!
I hadn’t set foot in a McDonald’s in probably 10 years until they started offering iced coffee for a fraction of the price of Starbucks. One day, I tried it, and it was really good.
Also, the store itself seemed less, how do I put this, disgusting than I remember it being. It was clean and colorful, and the staff was friendly. Overall, a not-too-shabby experience. That, plus the cost difference, was enough to change my ritual from grabbing-a-quick-Starbucks to grabbing-a-quick-McDonalds.
I guess the lesson is: never stop trying to reach your customers. If the way you are reaching them isn’t working, try shifting your focus. McDonalds found out what was missing from their experience, then they adapted to fit that need. Any question about whether it worked? Check out their profits!
Good Experience is the Best Strategy in an Economic Crisis
Author: Luis Serpa
December 5, 2008
In the midst of the economic crisis, while most banks are trying to keep attracting customers by offering higher interest savings and money market accounts, one bank (PNC) is thriving by focusing on delivering a unique online customer experience, specifically designed to target the generation Y (people aged 18 to 34, according to PNC demographics).
PNC created a product called Virtual Wallet that boldly discards all usual conventions from the banking industry, such as checking or savings accounts, and offers 3 types of accounts (dubbed “Spend,” “Reserve” and “Growth”) combined in a single solution. They focused on two simple concepts:
- Twentysomethings consider bank sites clunky, and they typically don’t know how to manage their money (’We need help helping ourselves’)
- The Gen Y really understands how to take advantage of online resources.
The solution takes advantage of concepts borrowed from other online services, games, social networks and even e-Commerce sites with features like Wish-List, Financial Calendar, Money Bar, Danger Days and “Punch the Pig.” That strategy is luring 130 new customers a day (20,000+ Virtual Wallet customers since July) to an account that otherwise could hardly compete with more aggressive banks in terms of paid returns.
Defying conventions and betting on exceptional experience can cost a lot initially (PNC expects the project to cost about 15 Million overall), but the ROI is unquestionable: PNC estimates to break even 1 year faster than a similar investment on a new brick-and-mortar branch would have.
From that example (plus everything that we preach here at Vox), I can get 3 great lessons to any company in any industry:
- Don’t be afraid to defy conventions! Know your customers, understand what they what and what they need and create NEW experiences that fit their expectations
- Test your concepts with real customers, watch how they react and behave and adjust your solutions accordingly
- The best strategy in times of crisis is still to offer a truly great customer experience. Marketing gimmicks and discounts can only go so far as… well, superficial wins…
So… What strategy will your company follow to get over this crisis?
See more about it in this article from BusinessWeek
Vox Study Shows Auto Insurance Websites Improving, But Still Leaving Customers Frustrated
Author: Bill Cusick
August 28, 2007
Most major auto insurance companies profess a desire to improve customer experience over all channels, and there’s plenty of evidence they’re sincere in that intent. At the same time, good intentions and four bits will buy you a cup of coffee (ok, maybe four bucks at Starbucks, for a non-fat half-caf latte). What the recently completed Vox Mind-Model Study shows is – although there have been real improvements overall in the design, usability and functionality of many auto insurance websites – there’s still lots of room for improvement. Register here for the full Mind-Model study: http://www.voxinc.com/insurance-mind-model.htm.
So, if you’re a customer like me, feel free to be encouraged, and disappointed.
In this, the third iteration of this comprehensive study of online auto insurance environments we were impressed by some of the improvements we observed. These include:
- More emphasis on cross-cultural awareness (makes sense since Hispanics, for example, are the fastest growing minority in the United States);
- Moderate improvement in both the number of sites offering online insurance quotes, and new options to help someone get a quote quickly, like anonymous quotes and Live Chat; and
- The availability of search functions on almost all the sites we studied – a necessary feature these days.
At the same time, we were disappointed in the lack of progress on several fronts, such as:
- Search tools (I know, I just said search was good) that, while they exist on the site don’t perform the way a user would like, which means the value for this “added feature” is less than zero;
- Standard quote processes that are still too lengthy and convoluted for most users to find the will to complete;
- Typical browser settings for sites that seem to belong back in 2003 – most users now have monitors set to at least 1024 x 768, yet many sites are still at the almost-obsolete 800 x 600 setting, resulting in most companies cheating themselves out of valuable screen real estate.
If the online channel was an important part of the overall customer experience when we conducted the last study, it’s now essential – and in many customers’ minds the most important or only channel – for communicating, researching, and transacting the relationship. Companies that don’t realize this will proceed at their own peril.
The comprehensive study examines 14 of the major auto insurance company sites in depth, utilizing several methodologies and analysis techniques, which revealed some bright spots but also some surprising inconsistencies and flaws. Go here to register for the full Mind-Model study http://www.voxinc.com/insurance-mind-model.htm.
Wide Web 2.0 World
Author: Mike Hartman
April 24, 2007
I just returned from San Francisco where I attended what I’ve been calling the Lalapalooza of the internet, aka Web 2.0 Expo 2007, where industry leaders mixed with rising stars of the wide web world to discuss and discover emerging trends and technologies, show off, promote new ideas, connect and to some extent try to figure out what it all means and where it’s going.
I think we’ve reached the point where we know what Web 2.0 is (user/community driven sites and products, widgets, wikis, blogs, mashups, tagging…phew) and now we can move on to figuring out what we’re going to do with it. And I think that was a refreshing theme throughout the Expo.
The general buzz is there is a Web 2.0 wave to be ridden and there is no shortage of tech companies eager to ride that wave. There was a lot of talk about technology at the Expo, which is certainly a crucial factor, but I think the larger message of Web 2.0 is something that we here at Vox have been talking about for a long time: listen to your customers, build a community and engage them in a meaningful way. Don’t just attack them with features and marketing programs.
Oh, and I saw a really cool video by Michael Wesch, “Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us”
Customer experience for time-pressed consumers
Author: Kim Dziedzic
February 15, 2007
I’ve been reflecting on Luis’ blog entry about Information Overload. I concur that it is a complex and ever-expanding phenomenon. We at Vox encounter Information Overload in our own lives as well as that of the Customers for which we advocate.
However, I controversially postulate that the real problem isn’t actually too much information. There is really no such thing as too much information. The problem is one of organization. It takes too much time and effort to get to the information we want and need, whether it’s to get a 1-800 number, to find out how much our insurance will cost, or to find out when our favorite movie comes out on DVD.
Therefore, we realize that from the Customer’s perspective, it’s imperative for us to accomplish two objectives: one, to create a clear path to their goal and two, to set expectations of time and effort.
Creating a clear path to Customer goals involves building experiences based on what the Customer wants to do versus what the company wants the Customer to do. It is about–to give just a few touchpoint examples–automated phone systems that tell the holding Customer where they are in the que, websites that always let Customers know when they have received or are sending out an item and written customer communications that speak to the customer instead of at them.
Setting Customer expectations involves answering the questions they ask themselves when trying to access information. Customers want to know "How long will this take?" "What steps will I need to complete to accomplish this?" "Will I need to process a ton of information and make a complex decision, or will this be straightforward?" The more accurately we answer these internal questions of Customers, the less "Info-intensive" we will make their experience.
What else can we do to help Customers accomplish their goals?
