There’s a warm feeling you get when you walk into a familiar place. When the staff knows you by name, greets you with delight and serves up “the usual”, you feel honored, respected and welcome. This is the differentiator between the “mom and pop shop” and the mega mall; between the corner store and the [...]
Read moreLose Some “Wait”
Nothing says “DISRESPECT” quite like forcing someone else to wait. And yet, that is exactly what so many brands do daily to the very customers they claim to value! It’s conventionally accepted that the customer (who NEEDS something) should be willing wait for the service provider (who HAS what they NEED.) However, somewhere along the [...]
Read moreNet Promoter Score: The Ultimate Question
I swiped my debit card and stared at the tiny screen… I expected a prompt for my PIN. Instead, the monitor read, “How likely are you to recommend K-Mart to a friend”?” This caught me off guard. K-Mart wants to know if I LIKE them? Not only that, they want to know if I like [...]
Read moreRenewable Service in Disposable Industries
“Please state your date of birth.” A few feet in front of me, an elderly woman looked up at a young cashier. Stunned and flustered, the elegant matron asked “Why do you need to know my date of birth?” The cashier deadpanned, “Halo 3 is rated M for Mature: I can’t sell it to you [...]
Read morePlanned Inconvenience
The Customer Service revolution is OVERDUE. This week, I called my bank to close an extra business account that I no longer needed. What happened next was stunning. Before the bank finally closed the account: I spoke with five different humans I was read a formal apology sentence by all five I was authenticated four [...]
Read moreThe Age of Accountability
Mark Twain once quipped, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” And for so long, this was so. But something is underway, a great shift toward truth or consequences. Technology has transformed the times. Access to instant information has pulled back the curtain on the [...]
Read moreDefeating Disappointment
Though often stereotyped, we Technical Communicators are truly NOT all alike. We paint our word pictures using every color of the visible light spectrum. We differ in our tastes, preferences and opinions, just like workers in any other profession. That said, throughout my 15 years in this field, I HAVE noticed a few key similarities [...]
Read moreNurturing Advocacy
Like any other tool, Social media can be used for good or ill. Some brands use social channels primarily to promote products. Like a car alarm in a parking lot, a stream of hype quickly becomes a noisy annoyance to customers. But once in a while, a brand takes great care to understand and then [...]
Read moreBring your WHOLE self to Work?
With the rise of social sharing, we’ve seen a new emphasis on personality and authenticity. There is a dialog underway about whether or not traditional “corporate speak” truly build an engaged social community. Can formality drive passionate brand advocacy? Have your say!
Read moreLavaCon: Knowledge Nuggets: Day 2
The LavaCon 2010 conference covered innovation in digital media and content strategy. This post is a summary of thoughts from the Day 2 Keynote Speakers.
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February 20, 2012
