Tenet 7 IconThe minimum requirement in order for any company to stay in business is to meet or satisfy customer expectations. Satisfaction is getting what is expected. Customers would have little reason to continue to do business with a company without this base level of service. Satisfied implies that the customer is content…for the moment. The company risks losing customers to competitors that are better able to satisfy them. Poor service could potentially cause customers to end business relationships with a company if alternatives are readily available.

 

We need happy customers and must genuinely want our customers to be pleased with the products and services we provide. What business wouldn’t? In addition to meeting their immediate needs, only by elevating our service and doing more than what is required,  can we then exceed their expectations.

 

What does it mean to exceed customers’ expectations? Exceeding customer expectations is going beyond what is expected and providing the customer with an “intentional experience.” We have to put thought into the customer interaction and demonstrate that we care. This could be something as simple as using the customer’s name during a conversation. It becomes a building block of a deeper customer experience which can, in turn, lead to increased customer loyalty and potentially new clients.

 

In addition to differentiating themselves from competitors, the companies that consistently deliver customer experiences above and beyond what is expected are the companies that change the customer’s mindset from “Like” to “Love.”  And when a customer loves a company, they have a much more positive impact on the company’s financial success.

 

Let’s consider some examples from a variety of companies.

 

Tide

Immediately following any disaster, establishing basic living conditions for those affected is the top priority. Along with food and shelter, clothing – specifically clean clothing – is essential to any recovery effort.  Tide Loads of Hope is a program that provides relief by means of mobile laundromats. Each unit consists of one truck and a fleet of vans that house over 32 energy-efficient washers and dryers capable of cleaning more than 300 loads of laundry per day. Tide employees volunteer to help families in disaster zones by washing, drying and folding their clothes free of charge. Proctor & Gamble, the parent company of Tide, provides the physical and financial resources necessary for the program.

 

 

Amazon

The United States Postal Service (USPS) raised the price of the first class stamp from 32 cents to 33 cents on January 10, 1999.  Amazon.com, which had launched about four years earlier, was looking for ways to differentiate itself from the vast number of e-commerce sites. Amazon saw this price increase as an opportunity to set itself apart in a way that was fully aligned with its vision to “be earth’s most customer centric company.” Shortly after the USPS increase, Amazon began including a note with ten, one-cent stamps in all customer shipments. The note briefly stated that Amazon simply wanted to make their customers’ lives easier.

 

 

Think Geek

Think Geek is a website that focuses on “Stuff for Smart Masses.”  A few days after a customer abandoned his intended purchase leaving a few items in his online cart, he received the following email.

 

“Warren,

 “Much like Sauron, Timmy has a roving-but-less-evil eye that sees all. And from his home in Mordor (located in Fairfax, Virginia) he saw that you recently fancied our precious.

 “And so, humble hobbit, Timmy extends to you the coupon code RING1310@CFHDHB, good for $10 off your order of $60 or more (before shipping).

“It was made with a magic so powerful it can only be destroyed in the scorching fires of Mount Doom from which it was auto-generated! Or it expires on 10/21/2013 at 11:59pm ET. Whichever comes first.”

 

This is a great example of how a Company can be creative in trying to build a relationship with its customers.

 

 

Krispy Kreme (example provided earlier in The 4th Tenet of Better Engaged Employees – Customers Define Quality and Service)

Jia Jiang wanted to to desensitize himself from the pain associated with rejection. To overcome his fear, he developed the 100 Days of Rejection Therapy initiative with the aim of making 100 crazy requests, each of which would lead to rejection. On Day 3, he visited Krispy Kreme in Austin, TX and asked for Olympic Symbol Doughnuts.  Watch how Jackie, a Krispy Kreme employee, responded to his crazy request. http://youtu.be/7Ax2CsVbrX0

This example of how a positive customer service experience can go viral.

 

 

Zappos

“On average, Zappos employees answer 5,000 calls a day, and 1,200 e-mails a week (except in the holiday season, when call frequency increases significantly). Call center employees don’t have scripts, and there are no limits on call times. The longest call reported is 10 hours 29 minutes.

“Zappos employees are encouraged to go above and beyond traditional customer service. In particular, after a late night of barhopping and closed room service, [Company Co-CEO Tony] Hsieh bet a Skechers rep that if he called the Zappos hotline, the employee would be able to locate the nearest late-night pizza delivery. The call center employee, although initially confused, returned two minutes later with a list of the five closest late night pizza restaurants. Inc. Magazine notes another example when a woman called Zappos to return a pair of boots for her husband because he died in a car accident. The next day, she received a flower delivery, which the call center rep had billed to the company without checking with her supervisor.

“Zappos often gives “surprise” free upgrades to overnight shipping for customers, though their website reports that delivery will take two to five business days.” Source: Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zappos.com

 

 

AT&T

When Superstorm Sandy battered the densely populated New York City metropolitan area in October 2012, power was disrupted for several days (weeks for some).  AT&T, recognizing people’s dependence on their electronic devices, set up temporary mobile charging stations in locations across all five boroughs. These charging stations were available to any resident, free of change and resulted in people being able to stay in touch with loved ones and keep current on the latest information.

As direct result of the Superstorm Sandy response, AT&T partnered with other companies to develop a more permanent solution. AT&T Street Charge is meant to meet the ongoing needs of local residents by providing free solar charging stations throughout the city.

 

 

 

Summary

Doing only what is required to meet customer expectations creates the opportunity for competitors to gain customers and market share. The same is true for providing poor service. The goal is to exceed customer expectations in order to build loyalty to the company and its products.  By doing so, employees contribute to the organization’s financial success.

 

Does your Company (department, team, workgroup), meet (satisfy) or exceed customer expectations? Does your company gather customer satisfaction statistics?

 

Over the next week, identify examples of how you and/or your coworkers exceeded a customer’s expectations. Share these examples with your teammates and manager so that others can learn from your experience. People want to know what works and what doesn’t work.

 

 

P.S.  First time here? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement site. Thanks for taking the time to stop by!  I hope you’ll explore the rest of the site. Let me know what employee engagement topics interest you.

Other recent Agent in Engagement articles by Gregory F Simpson:

 

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