MODERN MARKETING
out at the supermarket, there’s always a
moment in time when I want, or need, to
talk to a live person.
I see a lot of companies hiding behind
technology and using it as a way of
automating their relationships with
customers; almost using it as a wall
to keep themselves removed from
customer interactions altogether. Like
they’re saying to themselves, “Finally, we
don’t have to deal with customers any
longer. We can actually get some work
done.”
simple purchase. I knew what I needed.
I found it. Great! I tried to buy it. And
several minutes later, I was still fighting
off upsell offers, special discounts and
free subscriptions.
I had to remove unwanted “extras” from
my shopping cart 3 times. I had to click
“no thanks” at least 10 times. There was
no thought to the customer experience
here, only the psychology behind how
you get someone to buy more when they
are buying something.
In the end, I abandoned my shopping
cart. But the company already had my
email address. So, what happened next?
I received at least two emails a day for
the next two weeks with more special
offers, calls to action and “last chance
for savings” messaging. I finally had
to report the emails as spam to stop
them from coming (after I unsubscribed
twice). The company effectively ruined a
potential relationship because they tried
to squeeze as much as they could out of
a single transaction.
I know I sound like my great grandma
here, but I miss the good ole days
when you didn’t have to yell OPERATOR
repeatedly into your phone before
getting connected to a live person. Try
even finding a phone number on a lot
of websites today. Some companies do
make live chat available, but even that
can feel robotic. Too often, the chatters
are parked in a call center somewhere,
copying and pasting canned answers
to common questions, with no true
understanding of the brand they are
representing. It’s an experience that
rates just above an endless phone tree.
And now for a novel concept…
What if we all did the following?
It’s not that I’m against automation. I
do understand the need for companies
to direct inquiries to the lowest cost
delivery option, and that many questions
customers have can be answered by IVR
or web. But we’ve swung the pendulum
way too far in that direction.
Talk to consumers. Understand what they
need.
Build a great product that responds to
that need.
Let them know about it.
And then stand behind it with great
customer service.
Transactions vs. Relationships
We have become a data driven industry,
which isn’t a bad thing in itself. But many
times, we focus in on data, and manage
the percentages and up the conversions
with little regard for the customer. We
A/B test, we apply psychology and
science, and we focus on how quickly
we can get the rats through the maze.
And how we can convince them to go for
the bigger piece of cheese at the end. I
went online several weeks ago to make a
I promise you, the rest would take care
of itself.
Sure, you can be successful stalking,
automating and transacting your
customers. After all, millions upon
millions of people have thoroughly
enjoyed cat videos on YouTube.
But I’m betting that your success will
be as short lived as the 15 minutes of
fame achieved by the latest talking,
singing, dancing, flying, Kung Fu fighting
feline. Cats can be fickle. And so can
consumers.
That’s why I’m a dog person. And that’s
why I believe it always pays off in the
long run to keep the customer front and
center, focusing on positive experiences
and deep relationships with your brand.
As a consumer, I prefer brands that
engage me as a person instead of just
trying to come up with creative ways
to separate me from my money. As a
marketer, I counsel clients to do the
same.
It’s ok to be smart. Just don’t get crazy.
Appropriately personalize options for
your prospects and customers without
stalking them. Provide convenience
but stay accessible, particularly when
a customer isn’t happy. And always
put relationships above any single
transaction. Don’t jeopardize the next
sell by gunning for an upsell.
And to all you cat lovers, I hope there are
no hard feelings.
Heath Shackleford is the founder/
kickstarter of Good.Must.Grow., a
socially responsible marketing firm
committed to helping good companies
grow. He works with nonprofits, social
businesses and health + wellness
clients to tackle strategic marketing
challenges.
http://www.goodmustgrow.com
[email protected]
May 2016
ModernBusiness
17