It’s All in the Details
Posted by heatherrast on August 27th, 2008
I’ve come to read a fair amount of material from marketing/customer service expert and author Pete Blackshaw. I found a recent article in iMedia Connection titled “Marketers Love Conversation, Unless the Consumer Starts It” where he talks a bit about what I’ll label as “perfunctory” customer (consumer) feedback solicitation as opposed to genuine interest for the purpose of process or product improvement solicited in a manner that speaks to overall concern for experience.
As described by me above, a bit clunky, but you get the picture. When you think about it, there’s kind of like the rote “Have a great day.” expression delivered by bleary-eyed clerks gazing over your shoulder at the next customer in line. This, in comparison to the rare jewel Pollyanna clerk who seems genuinely interested that you didn’t find everything you needed this morning and calls over a stockman to go grab one for you before you complete that transaction.
A prepared statement delivered on autopilot Vs. a genuine exchange resulting from a concern for customer care.
Now while Pete’s article focuses primarily on transactional messaging (Contact Us forms, Submission forms, etc.), I think the same principles can apply to almost any task-based action available on Web sites. Think of frustrations you have undoubtedly had with online retailers (who should know better by now!) and even organizations or groups that enable enrollment.
“. . .do media planners even see a relationship between a friendly welcome mat and consumer loyalty or word of mouth?. . . Brands simply cannot endure half-open and half-closed service protocols. Either we conclude service is part of the new marketing equation, or we can do the consumer a favor and put a “still under construction” sign on our doorstep.” –Pete Blackshaw
At one point, Pete suggests that Healthcare (among other verticals) is a big offender. While I concur that is likely true for a number, I find it ironic that as my employer releases new updates for our software, we have enlisted the aid of a writer and former editor to help craft messaging that is more useful, better positioned, and where possible, suggests another (next step) or alternative (no results found, try xxx) course of action.
Forms – or other advisory and task-based affirmations/notification messaging – are a great opportunity to really touch the consumer at a very relevant time. The values of self-expression, availability, control, etc. are prime pickins’ (as is basic usability) when we accomplish what we set out to do – or we don’t.
Each time your consumers are exposed to your brand – in these examples, to simple messaging – they make an emotional determination about whether they’d been “heard” or not. Whether they matter. Check out your site and reaffirm you’re sending the right information with the right tone in messaging that rewards the consumer for doing business with you. And how about solicit “What could we have done differently?” feedback, because you’re interested in discovering areas for improvement?
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