Over the past several days I've been gathering
material for upcoming Belden Associates
presentations. In a significant percentage of the work
there's one recurring theme which should be on
everyone's mind...
...how important the heart is in winning
customer loyalty!!
The logic is compelling - see if you don't agree:
- Most products and services are more
competitive than ever.
-
Distinctions are slimmer and less obvious.
- Top-flight service and high quality have
pretty much become the bare bones requirement of
entry in to any industry.
- Pricing differences are more notable than
ever.
- Purchase decisions - especially minor
ones - are made more rapidly than ever.
- Therefore, any product, organization or
service establishing an emotional customer connection
will excel!
I can already hear salespeople out there being quick to
disagree and point out some unique advantages
to their product or service. While "unique" is possible,
it is rare and not nearly as sustainable as it once was.
What is infinitely more common is for an
organization
to believe it has a unique market position,
product or service only to find their customer or
prospect base doesn't share that point of view.
The customer view is the only one that
matters. If differences cannot be distinguished,
you'll inevitably be competing on price and that's the
last place you want to be.
Everyone has heard the time tested maxim: All
things being equal, one buys from a person or
organization they like! It is completely true, but...
...it doesn't emphasize how important the
emotional, from the heart element is in decision
making.
Who doesn't have an anecdote citing reasons for their
steadfast loyalty to a service or product. Call it
passion, desire, design, irrational exuberance or
whatever you want...when we are pleased or delighted
we are loyal. To a fault...and, for a long time.
This really happened: years ago, before the ubiquity of
cell phones, I left my wallet on the bureau of a San
Francisco Hyatt hotel room as I was making my way to
the airport. After pulling in to a gas station (after all, I
had to fill up my rental car with gas) I called the hotel
with my dilemma. With only a minimum of operator
hold time and a slight delay to confirm housekeeping
had located my wallet, I was encouraged to return the
rental car and wait for a Hyatt driver to arrive with my
wallet. Not 10 minutes after dropping off my car, a
black Mercedes 500 SEL sped in to the Avis lot and the
driver hopped out with my wallet and encouraged me
to hurry so he could get me to my gate on time!!
The by product?
#1. The Hyatt Chairman received a letter of thanks
and congratulations.
#2. I've told that story 150 times...easily.
#3. When logistics work and the pricing is comparable
(I definitely give Hyatt benefit of any doubt!) I choose
Hyatt.
#4. There are over 200,000 Hyatt points in my
account.
'Nuff said!
Jan Carlzon, former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines calls
these "moments of truth"...opportunities within each
of our organizations we interact with customers and
prospects and an image is projected, a feeling felt and
perception built.
"ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF THESE?"
In almost any scenario, a newspaper has many
HUMANS interacting with HUMANS all the time. Not
just the advertising sales force, but carriers, reporters,
photographers and even Publishers. During each and
every interaction, are we giving our audience a reason
to feel good about us? A reason to like us?
Perchance a reason to feel passionate
about us?
Why not?
There are those who would reply, "This is just a
newspaper...what's there to get emotional about?"
And, to those lost souls, I would say ...
..It is true, a newspaper might only be a
weather page to one person or a what time
does that show start to another but to someone
else it might be:
- Coupons that help make ends meet.
- Something to help understand English
better.
- A part of my homework.
- A tool which connects me to my
community and helps me understand where and how I
fit in.
- An organization gathering and
disseminating news and information about me and
neighbors and people like me so we can relate to and
understand the import of local and international issues
and events.
- Fun.
From a research point of view, such issues can be
detailed and better understood via tools like: Customer
Service/Satisfaction (as it applies to both advertisers
and readers) and Interest/Performance to learn what
readers in your market value in a paper and how you
perform against those interests.
With a better handle on both, the effort should be to
build a vibrant, emotional connection to readers
and advertisers. We are NOT just a newspaper...we
are a vital conduit connecting audiences and
communities in ways that must be differentiated and
utilized each and every day.
If we can do that, we will be cared about, liked,
desired and something our customers can feel good
about...
...we can be THEIR paper!
