Mar

Rule #1: Treat People Well

Posted by Olivier Blanchard

There's a reason they call it the Golden Rule. Treat people as you want to be treated, and even if you screw up, chances are that they will forgive you.

And come back.

And tell their friends about how well they were taken care of when they ran into a snag.

Just last week, I witnessed a five-minute exchange between an unhappy customer, a retailer and a product manufacturer. At the center of the three-way conversation, a lost hitch pin on a brand-new child trailer (the kind that hooks up to the back of a bicycle). It went a little something like this:

_ Customer: "I guess I should have made sure the pin was secure before I hooked it up."
_ Retailer: "Well, yeah, but you really shouldn't have to. I'm sorry that happened. Let me see if we have any extra pins in stock."
(Two minutes later...) "Nope. We don't have any. Hold on. Let me call the manufacturer."
(Three minutes later, after explaining the problem to the customer service person at the manufacturer's headquarters...) "Here, Richard (the customer's name). They want to speak with you. (the retail assistant hands the customer the phone."
_ Manufacturer: "Sir, we're just going to send you a replacement kit free of charge. Do you want us to send it to the store or directly to your home address?"

Needless to say, the customer left happy.

What happened? The customer was treated with respect, compassion, and genuine care. Though the exchange remained relatively formal, he was treated like a friend.

He didn't have to jump through hoops. Nobody ever said "no." The replacement didn't cost him one red cent. He didn't have to wait for an answer. As a matter of fact, the problem was resolved in about five minutes.

The focus of the exchange wasn't about selling him anything or wowing him with great service. It was this: Let's get this guy back on the road as quickly as possible.

That sense of genuine compassion, the desire to help people and solve problems for them is one of the core elements of any strong brand. If anything, it is a vital component of the articulation of that brand through its customers' exerience. People expect problems. Cars break down. Computers crash. Wine gets skunky. DVD players stop... playing. What separates great brands from mediocre ones when something does go wrong is the way they respond to the problem.

It isn't surprising, then, that treating people well is a recurring theme in Marketing circles.

Perfect example: John Winsor's "Treating People As People" post points us to Guy Kawasaki's "The Art Of Sucking Down", in which guy explores the concept of sucking-up vs. sucking down. Here's a taste:

"One of the great misconceptions of selling, pitching, and partnering--basically, any time you want to get someone to do something for you--is that you should suck up to the people with the big titles and “A list” designation. Sometimes you do--as you've already read in this blog, but the ability to suck up to the folks who don't have big titles but make the world run is more useful." (Read the rest of Guy's post here.)

John's two cents:

"I can relate to Guy's story because I was just in Beaver Creek, Colorado this weekend and was surprised by the number of self-important people walking around barking orders at those that were there to make their ski vacation special. It didn't matter whether it was the maid at the hotel, the ticket seller or the ski instructor they were invisible to many of the self-absorbed." (Read the rest of his post here.)

Also read Mary Schmidt's "My pal, "Do Not reply"' post, which addresses yet another facet of treating people well. Obviously, being treated like a number s opposed to... well... a person doesn't exactly inspire brand loyalty or repeat business:

"I just got another email from my friend DoNotReply @Verizonwireless.com. The subject line is “Important Information about your account” Hmmm. Well, if it’s so important, why are they sending me an email to which I can’t reply? What if I have a question? What if I want to spend more money with them?
Now, I know that this is an automated email system. And, yes, it costs money to add personalized service. But, this email is a critical “customer touch point.” With just a little work, Verizon could keep my business and possibly even sell me something else. All using that “important information” email. So, Verizon has automated its email communications – but is it truly communication if it starts out telling me not to reply? Nope. What it is telling me is that I’m one of a faceless herd of customers, with which the company doesn’t want to take the time to effectively communicate." (Read the rest here.)

Also visit Shel Holtz's "Who's #1" post (you may remember it from yesterday). In it, Shel contends that customers aren't the only people you should treat well. Good customer service karma starts with happy, empowered employees (the ultimate touchpoints.)

Lastly, check out my own take on the subject here. (Though the discussion gets stretched beyond customers and employees, and also encompasses clients and potential hires.)