Your Brand and the Amazing 1975 Lunchroom Cinnamon Roll
Your Brand and the Amazing 1975 Lunchroom Cinnamon Roll What does your brand have in common with a lunchroom cinnamon roll? I have vivid memories of first grade, some of which center around the bewildering world of the school cafeteria. At Green Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi, I would stroll into what I recall as an aircraft-hangar-sized lunchroom with the rest of Mrs. Bass’s and Mrs. Thompson’s classes, go down the line with my tray, and happily present my card-stock lunch ticket at the end. The cashier would smile and click her hole-punch on the day of the week, and I’d sit down with another plate of delicious industrial nourishment. The lunches weren’t really as bad as the cultural references always joked, but that didn’t mean they were great. Except that sometimes… they were. There were certain days, in fact, where the lunch experience was transformed into something completely unforgettable. You see, as you finished the normal serving process and approached the cashier, you passed a small area with colored plates. These were the additional desserts, usually small pieces of cake or other pastries. But the most important one of all was the lunchroom cinnamon roll. And on some days, Mom would give me a nickel and a dime to go along with my lunch ticket. Fifteen cents was the price of one of those lunchroom cinnamon rolls, which was my admission to the glorious land of the elementary school sugar high. Buying a fifteen-cent cinnamon roll was probably my first solo experience as a consumer. Those little transactions made me feel like a grown-up, making a purchasing decision and completing an independent transaction as an individual with a vision for his future and the cash to make it happen. And of course, they had to be delicious because they tasted like sugar, cinnamon, and power. Amazing. As I thought about the experience, I identified a few factors that I think played into the impact of experiences like my amazing 1975 lunchroom cinnamon roll. You can apply these ideas to the way you take your own products and services into the marketplace. • The excitement and impact of getting something extra Big or small, there is something irresistible about a bonus. Whether it’s a freebie or an opportunity to make an impulse buy, even a tiny extra feels special. What can you add to the experience of working with you that feels like an extra? It doesn’t have to be big, flashy, or expensive, as long as it’s awesome. • Perceived status There is an undeniable sweetness to knowing your peers envy you. It’s human nature to savor the moments when we get to be the leader in line, or king of the hill, or the cool kid. When your clients interact or do business with you, does the experience leave them with something to brag about? • Transformed memory of an assembly line experience Four decades later, I still remember the price, the presentation, and the general experience of buying a cinnamon roll in my lunchroom. I remember where they were in the line. I remember the kinds of plates they were served on. I can even vaguely remember the cashier’s face. Meanwhile, I cannot tell you for certain any other item I ever ate in that lunchroom. I have no specific memory of any other part of the experience. A year from now, what will the client remember about their experience with your brand? What if a special extra is the key to creating a lasting memory of your brand?
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3 We’ve reached the conclusion of this short series – better late than never! Though the cruise itself is long past, the memories and lessons learned in each port remain. Out of curiosity – are you paying attention to the experiences you have to see what branding and audience engagement lessons can be learned? If so – let me know of a tip or technique you gleaned from an experience in your own life! Amazing tip #9: Put something awesome out of sight to reward the devoted. Holyhead, Wales – What do you know about Holyhead, Wales? That’s about what I knew, too, as we went ashore for our first visit to Wales. The town is centered around St. Cybi’s Church, which is actually built in what was an old Roman fort. There are lots of nooks and crannies to explore, but the real treasure here isn’t in town. You have to take a cab or a tour to get to South Stack Lighthouse, but even when you are able to see it, you can’t experience it without hiking down 400 steps and walking across an aluminum footbridge. Then you get to climb the 400 steps on your way back. But the reward is a tremendous view of coastline cliffs and the lighthouse itself… an experience you won’t ever forget. Put some not-so-obvious rewards in place for those willing to seriously engage with your brand! Amazing tip #10: Make sure your brand has attentive, observant ambassadors. Liverpool, England – Rosemary and I arrived in Liverpool on a relatively gray day. Cloudy morning, scattered showers, and a blustery wind. We decided to brave the elements and so we made a trek to Liverpool Cathedral. This impressive building – the largest Anglican cathedral in the UK – was full of interesting and beautiful art. It was reverent and inspiring. But it became an unforgettable experience when I was approached by Brian Jackson. A smiling gentleman with a long robe quietly asked how I was enjoying my visit. We began talking about our experiences in church and found common ground instantly. He took me and Rosemary on a private tour, unlocked a walkway across the expanse of the interior, and told us numerous little stories (including a great one about the chairs where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh sit). This visit was unforgettable because an ambassador perceived my interest and probed effectively, then delivered an exceptional experience. Does your brand have attentive, observant ambassadors on site? On the phone? Online? Amazing tip #11: A fresh approach can make old things new again. Inveraray, Scotland – Inveraray Castle in Scotland looks like a fairy tale with its conical spires on towers. Since the 1200s the site has been the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll – yes, the same family from which we derive argyle sweaters and socks! While the castle is centuries old, it recently enjoyed a renewed interest when it was used as a location for the 2012 Christmas episode of Downton Abbey. The popularity of a current hit translated into additional visibility and tourism for a site that was relatively unknown to many outside Scotland. By the time Rosemary and I arrived, we were primed to be receptive to much more of the real history of the location based on our interest in a fictional story! Can you connect your brand to something in the news, or some phenomenon in the popular culture? If so, you have a golden opportunity to boost sagging interest in your message. Amazing tip #12: Craft a presentation worthy of your content. Dublin, Ireland – Dublin is home to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Ha’Penny Bridge, and a thousand pubs. It is also home to one of the best universities in the world, Trinity College Dublin. Here, at the alma mater of Swift, Burke, Beckett, Stoker, Wilde, you can view the Book of Kells and marvel at a unique object with artistic, philosophical, and historical significance. But while the pages of that book inspire reflection and introspection, when you walk into the Long Room you will find yourself awestruck. This vast, expansive space houses only 200,000 of the library’s roughly six million volumes. Even so, the presentation of this subset creates a feeling of near infinite knowledge. The levels, the arches, and the sheer visual impact create an experience that inspires respect for the work of masters whose thoughts are recorded in these pages. Presentation doesn’t replace the knowledge in those volumes, but it certainly inspires a high level of respect for whatever you might find in there. Just as the theatre in St. Petersburg primed us to appreciate beauty, this room primed us to respect intellect. When your brand is unveiled for a new audience, what feelings does it inspire? You can read the other entries in this series via the following links: 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 2
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 2
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 2 This follow-up is long overdue, but worth the wait! Here’s part 2. Amazing tip #6: Encourage your audience to walk through your experience on occasion, instead of always streamlining everything. Dover, England – With London only a short drive away, people often skip Dover as they are embarking or disembarking. But Dover Castle has a charm of its own and it’s worth the trip to the top of the hill to see the view. It was worth it to walk up rather than take trolleys or cabs – we climbed a beautiful staircase in the woods. While walking through the city toward the castle, we found a number of shops and a great place to eat when we came back down. Once in a while, it may be worthwhile to buck the trend of hyper-streamlining an experience and encourage your audience to walk and take the stairs. It was strenuous and we had to catch our breath, but the experience was richer and more memorable than a taxi to the front door. Amazing tip #7: Make it worthwhile to look past the surface. St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands – Castle Cornet on the island of Guernsey is, for some travelers, just “ABC” – that is, “another bloomin’ castle.” But taking the time to explore yielded multiple intriguing stories ranging across centuries. There’s nearly always more to “ABC” than you might think, which means it can be rewarding to explore unknown brands. At the same time, it’s incumbent upon the owner of the lesser-known brand to take whatever it is that they’ve got, frame it effectively, and communicate it to the audience in a way that makes them curious enough to dig one level deeper. Amazing tip #8: Effective branding overcomes a change of context. Waterford, Ireland – When you think of Waterford, Ireland, you probably think first of Waterford Crytal. In addition to their worldwide fame for making crystal dining ware, they are also well-known for their creation of art objects and trophies such as the crystal football BCS trophy. The city is also home to Reginald’s Tower, a relic from the town’s Viking history. In the midst of all the things that Waterford is best known for, though, I have another unforgettable memory of Waterford, Ireland that has nothing to do with its history. As I crossed a busy street, I recognized the logo of my alma mater on the jacket of a gentleman crossing in the other direction. I greeted him with “Hail State!” and we have stayed in touch since then. That recognizable brand did its job, allowing fellow fans to establish a connection even in an entirely unrelated context. There was no reason for me to be looking for that logo or thinking about my alma mater, but the sight of the school colors and the logo instantly transcended the context of the environment. Not every brand has a goal of facilitating interpersonal relationships among alumni, but every brand can aspire to the powerful goal of being instantly recognizable even in an unrelated context. You can read the other entries in this series via the following links: 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3
Branding, Integrity, and Handling Mistakes
Branding, Integrity, and Handling Mistakes Integrity is not just a smart and moral way to navigate your personal life. It’s also part of your professional branding, and it will inevitably affect your business success. This past weekend I performed for a new client. They had previously booked another performer, but he phoned them to cancel his appearance just a day and a half before the event. They were not convinced that his “double booked” story was true, and he did not make an effort to replace himself but simply left them to pick up the pieces. I got the call, charged them a higher price (I simply could not match his low-ball fee), and got uniformly great feedback afterward. As a bonus, I expect significant additional work from this client. The truth is that the other performer may have indeed honestly and accidentally double-booked himself. Mistakes happen to everyone. But there is no excuse not to have gone to the client with a solution in hand, already having made arrangements to replace himself. There are literally dozens of performers in this area – at a range of skill and price points – and he should have at least reached out to a couple of them so that he would have options on the table when contacting the client about his error. The best possibility is that other performer made an honest mistake. On the other hand, he also may simply have ditched them for a “better” or more lucrative gig. I prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I did so even when this client expressed their suspicion. But by leaving the client stressed, without easy options, and convinced that they had been ditched for a higher-paying opportunity, he spoiled any chance of working for them in the future. He also eliminated any possibility that he might get future “overflow” work from me because of the way he chose to handle the situation: leaving a client hanging rather than taking the initiative to attempt to replace himself. You and I will make mistakes, too. But how we handle those mistakes will be a good indicator of our integrity, our commitment to our clients, and to our own professional reputations. “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of — for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” ― Socrates
Atlanta Magician Turner to Perform on 2015 K-LOVE Cruise
Atlanta Magician Turner to Perform on 2015 K-LOVE Cruise Happy New Year, everyone! 2015 is already shaping up to be an amazing adventure – let me give you a quick rundown of a few things coming up soon. It’s cold in Atlanta, but this morning I’m sitting at the airport headed south for a few days. First, I’ll be in Jacksonville to attend convention planning meetings and the mid-year board meeting for the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM). I’m currently serving as the International President-Elect, and I’ll become International President at the convention this July. Hundreds of magicians from around the world will come to learn, interact, and compete. If you’re a magician or a lover of the art, consider joining us in Jacksonville this summer! I’d be thrilled to have your support as I step into the top leadership role for what is sure to be an exciting year. Next up, I’ll head to Orlando for a couple of days to perform and lecture at the first IBM JAM to be held in the United States. These are one-day FREE events for members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The idea – a brainchild of my friend and current International President Shawn Farquhar – is to provide a day of magic entertainment and education as an added benefit of membership. Yes, these events are for members only – but it’s worth the year’s membership to attend the one-day event, much less get all the great benefits throughout the year. I’ll be performing and lecturing along with Shawn Farquhar and Oscar Munoz. After that, I’ll head to Miami to get on the beautiful MSC Divina to perform for the 2015 K-LOVE Cruise. This year’s cruise will feature music from contemporary Christian recording artists Mandisa, Casting Crowns, Colton Dixon, Building 429, Newsboys, and more. I’ll be providing piano/vocal music in the lounge and performing sleight-of-hand magic at various events throughout the cruise. We’ll be heading to Freeport, Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay, and then back to Miami. I’m really excited for this opportunity to share a somewhat different mix of my talents than I usually do! The rest of the year is going to be equally fun. I’ve got a public show coming up at the Dallas (GA) Theatre in February, followed by a mission trip to Hungary. Stay tuned for more updates along the way! As always, thank you for your constant support and encouragement!
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1
12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1 I recently returned from performing magic on a couple of European cruises which combined to fill nearly the entire month of August. My wife joined me on this adventure as the dates overlapped our 19th wedding anniversary. We started with five days in Stockholm, Sweden, where we saw the sights and I visited a friend who had been an exchange student to my high school many years ago! We concluded with three days in Dublin, Ireland. While we were in Russia, I was inspired by one experience to make a change to the way I think about my business, my performances, and my keynote presentations. As I gave it more thought, I realized that each stop along the way taught me something important about providing amazing and engaging experiences for my audiences, both at live events and for my brand’s audience. What did I learn in each port? Here are some of my takeaways. The rest will appear in the next post. Amazing tip #1: Guide your audience to an experience that most people miss. Stockholm, Sweden – In the five days we were in Stockholm we covered a lot of ground, from visiting royal palaces to shopping in Gamla stan. But the most amazing experience to me was the opportunity to reconnect with my friend Anna, whom I hadn’t seen since high school over 25 years ago. Her insights and advice led us to explore a part of the city we might otherwise have missed. Amazing tip #2: Put a hidden gem somewhere in the experience for your audience to discover. Tallin, Estonia – This wasn’t a port we expected to love, but we were tipped off by Rosemary’s aunt that it was a hidden gem. It didn’t have the name recognition of a St. Petersburg or Helsinki. But it turned out to be a favorite stop – lots of history, interesting things around every corner, and easy to walk and explore. Amazing tip #3: You don’t have to be “on” all the time; create multiple ways for your audience to explore your offerings on their own. Helsinki, Finland – This port had name recognition, but our visit was on a Sunday and so we encountered a lot of closed stores until later in the day. This meant that we had quiet streets and little traffic all morning. We couldn’t get into every location because some places are closed on Sunday morning. But we got to peek inside a Russian Orthodox cathedral during a service and that was a beautiful experience. Amazing tip #4: In every possible interaction, prime your audience to appreciate the beauty in what you will share with them. St. Petersburg, Russia – Rosemary and I spent an evening at the ballet. We saw “Sleeping Beauty” at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. I was intensely moved by the beauty of the building, the sets, the costumes, the music, and of course the dancers. The moment we entered that theatre, we knew something special was going to happen. We were primed to appreciate the beauty to follow. I was inspired to add something beautiful to my presentations – something that gives my audience a chance to appreciate art for the sake of beauty. Amazing tip #5: Make sure the experience you deliver stands up to repeat engagement. Add layers if necessary. Copenhagen, Denmark – This was my second visit to Copenhagen, and it was easy to pick up right where I left off on last year’s trip with my daughter. Since my wife and I had only a single day in port, though, we had to budget our time. We chose to limit the number of attractions and explore more thoroughly, meaning that even though I visited Rosenborg Castle last year, I actually got a bit more out of the visit this year. There’s more to come in part two! Stay tuned! You can read the other entries in this series via the following links: 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 2 12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3
Atlanta Magician Joe M. Turner Named President-Elect of International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM)
I’m here in St. Louis at the 2014 combined convention of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) and the Society of American Magicians (SAM). This is only the tenth time in their century-long histories that these two organizations have co-produced a convention. Over 1300 registrants are here celebrating our shared art. Today at the annual meeting of the IBM, I was inducted as International President-Elect of the world’s largest magical organization. The IBM has roughly ten thousand members in 88 countries around the world. I’m tremendously proud of the work that the IBM does and is doing to promote the art of magic – as a hobby, as a profession, and as a brotherhood. Our new International President, Shawn Farquhar, is a longtime friend and one of the brightest stars in our industry. It is an honor to serve alongside someone as creative and tireless as Shawn. I have also spent a bit of time getting to know SAM National President-Elect David Bowers, who will lead that organization at the same time that I lead the IBM. Over the next two years, my plan is to help us expand the reach and the ability of the IBM to preserve and grow the art of magic. My primary mission is to support Shawn in whatever ways I can best be a resource to him and the IBM. As we get closer to my presidential year, I’ll be bringing some of my own specific goals to the forefront to build on the things that Shawn and other recent International Presidents have worked so hard to achieve. I hope that some of the lessons I learn from leading a 10,000+ member association will also be beneficial to you and your organizations. I will share insights as I can and when appropriate. Stay tuned!
4 Must-Have Components of Effective Magic (and Branding!)
4 Must-Have Components of Effective Magic (and Branding!) It pains me to say it, but there’s a lot of ineffective magic out there. Magic that people don’t get, don’t like, don’t remember, and ultimately don’t want. Very often, performers may nip at the edges of amazing experiences. Sometimes, some audiences may be engaged for a moment, or think a performer is clever, or be fascinated by great skill, or even enjoy the temporary spectacle of a show… but the overall experience somehow doesn’t quite qualify as “magical.” Why is that? I suggest to you that there are 4 necessary components of truly effective magic, and that they can be summed up in one sentence. No matter how well I perform a sleight, operate an apparatus, or do some other secret action, it’s not really magic until an audience experiences something impossible that means something to them personally. The Magic Side That’s a statement that is going to take a little unpacking. Here are the four criteria, each spelled out in a bit more detail. 1. Magic requires an audience. It can be fun and rewarding to practice a technique to perfection, or to develop a new routine, or to work out a new plot. Rehearsing can give you exciting glimpses of what you may be able to accomplish with the art. But it’s not magic until there’s an audience to experience it. In fact, “performing magic” is somewhat misleading phrase. Magic is a witnessed phenomenon, not a performed one. Magic is not performed until it is witnessed. 2. Magic requires mystery. It can be fun to solve a puzzle, or to engage in some clever wordplay, or to peek behind the curtain. But once it happens, the sensation of magic is destroyed. It’s not magic if the illusion is penetrated. Poor technique, equipment failure, or a lack of good design can all endanger or eliminate the magical experience. Magic explained is not magic. 3. Effective magic has a meaningful context. Walk onstage, push a giant needle through a balloon, and walk off. You might get a smattering of applause. But even the simplest illusion, given some dramatic framework or connection to the world, becomes more powerful. Is the illusion about your comic failure to make the balloon burst as expected? Is it about challenging expectations? Is it about surprising strengths? If it’s just a puzzle, it’s not really magic. Presentation counts as much as technique. Give magic a “why” to heighten its impact. 4. Effective magic connects with people personally. Good magic has a context that gives it a meaning, answering the question “Why are you doing that?” But to go even further, great magic connects to something the audience values, answering the question, “Why should I care?” Whether you are physically doing close-up magic in a spectator’s own hands, or scripting an illusion to perform for a thousand people, find a way to relate what you’re doing to something the audience cares about. Give your audience a reason to care about the magic. The Business Side Interestingly, if you consider each of those points, I suspect you’ll see that they apply just as much to branding, marketing, and customer experience issues as they do to the performance of magic. • You have to gather an audience for your message. • The more of your process that the audience perceives, the less magical their experience. • You increase your impact by giving your audience a framework through which to interpret what you share with them. • You maximize that impact by making that framework something that they care about. What can you do today to change the way you communicate and engage your audience so that their experience with your brand is more magical?
Bow Ties and Strategy: The Impact of Intent
Bow Ties and Strategy: The Impact of Intent Insights on business strategy can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest places. I had a flash of insight at a breakfast meeting in Buckhead a few weeks ago when discussing, of all things, bow ties. Until about two years ago, my thoughts on bow ties were generally dismissive and largely encapsulated in my standard comment on the subject, “You have to be the kind of guy who can pull it off, and I’m just not a bow tie guy.” Then I met an Atlanta businessman, Jay Austin of Jay Austin Bow Ties, who created a custom Mississippi State bow tie for me and got me to try it on. A few weeks ago I became aware that two other friends, Phil Minnes and Amanda Brown had started a bow tie business, Southern Style Man. I decided to purchase a couple from them (in their “vintage” line) in a show of support, even wearing one in a recent performance in Buckhead. Then, at a business networking meeting a few days later, Amanda said something I thought was brilliant. What did she say that made such an impact that I instantly made a note to share it with you? “There’s a difference between putting on clothes and getting dressed. When you wear a bow tie, you get dressed.” Putting on Clothes vs. Getting Dressed The distinction between “putting on clothes” and “getting dressed” is a significant one. It is full of meaning and insight. Here are just a few concepts that came to mind for me as I considered the difference. Intent – “Putting on clothes” is a low-intent activity, intended only to cover what’s absolutely necessary and focused only on the needs of the wearer. “Getting dressed” is a high-intent activity, with focus both on the wearer and the observer. Strategy – “Getting dressed” implies a goal and a purpose that goes beyond the simplest immediate need, and a willingness to make choices to get there. Timeline – The decision to “get dressed” implies that there is going to be an investment of time to achieve a desired result, not just a half-hearted attempt to achieve a minimum result. Measurement – You can “put on clothes” without ever looking in a mirror, but “getting dressed” requires checking results along the way as well as critiquing the final outcome. The Strategy Transformation As you can see, just the decision to “get dressed” changes the way you think about what you will do when you start choosing your clothing. The bow tie is a catalyst for that decision, but it has ramifications that may cascade throughout the entire process, from shirt to pants to belt to shoes. As I thought about it, I concluded that there are parts of my life and areas of my business where I have settled for “putting on clothes” when I could have chosen instead to “get dressed.” By the way, after putting on my first bow tie, I experienced a strange phenomenon. Everyone who saw me wearing it said, “See, you’re just one of those guys who can pull it off.” They were unknowingly echoing my own words back to me. This was completely unexpected. It seems that the very act of putting on a bow tie transforms you into “one of those guys” in the eyes of others. Taking action is almost magically transformative. What About You? Take a step. Develop a vision and be intentional with your strategy as you pursue it. You will find yourself transforming into the kind of person and leader who thinks, plans, and acts with an entrepreneurial instinct. How are you going to choose to “get dressed?”
Siriusly, XM? Brand Loyalty Despite the Process
Siriusly, XM? Brand Loyalty Despite the Process Brand loyalty isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s like watching a frustrating relationship on some hyper-emotional cable network movie. One person is deeply in love and committed to the relationship, while the other is apparently too self-centered to even notice, much less address anyone else’s needs. Have you ever loved a brand that treated customers like that? The Happy Customer When I bought a new minivan for my wife last year, I subscribed to Sirius XM satellite radio. I used to enjoy it only in rental cars, but we finally bit the bullet and have thoroughly enjoyed the service. It has fed my addiction to Broadway cast recordings and it has renewed my appreciation for classical music. It has helped to satisfy my wife’s need for 80s hair bands, and it has given our whole family a new appreciation of classic radio personalities and programs like Jack Benny, Johnny Dollar, Suspense, Lux Radio Theatre, and Fibber McGee & Molly. So this year, when I bought a new vehicle for myself, I was happy to enjoy the free trial of Sirius XM. Three free months, then I’ll just add it to my account – easy, right? Wrong. I began being pursued as a new customer immediately after purchasing the second vehicle. I can understand the automated nature of the initial campaign to woo me, but it was clear that nobody ever bothered to check whether I was a current subscriber or not. After all, the same name, address, and phone number had been used to purchase the first vehicle and to subscribe to the service. A couple of weeks ago I got a call warning me that my free trial was expiring and that I could subscribe for the next five months for only $25. I said that sounded great, and that they should just add it to my account since I was already a happy customer. What do you think happened next? The Unamazing Process My request, as you probably suspect, could not be met. In order to enjoy the reduced fee for the new vehicle, their internal process required me to create a separate account. The service representative advised me to make a note to call them back in October and have them consolidate my accounts. To review: – I am a current customer. – I expressed my pleasure at being a current customer. – I expressed that I want to expand my relationship by adding additional purchases to my account. – In order to do that, their process forces me to create a new account, possibly complicating my existing relationship. – I have to take the initiative to call them back to simplify the situation in five months. Analyzing the Breakdown Let’s just assume that it’s reasonable to extend benefits to new customers that you don’t extend to current happy customers. This may not be the case, and the issue is still debated widely by marketing and customer retention experts. But even granting that it’s true for the sake of argument, the experience described above still falls short of “amazing.” Why? It fails to recognize that the customer doesn’t really care about the details of your process, except to the degree that it hinders their desired outcome. I should not ever hear about what your computer system allows you to do or not do. It puts the focus on the needs of the company, and not the outcomes for the customer. Our conversation turned from what I wanted to what the company needed. They needed me to make another account. They needed to get redundant information from me that they already had. They needed me to be patient while screens were toggled. It places responsibility on the customer to solve a problem intrinsic to the process. I was instructed to make a note on my calendar to call them back in October to fix the issue. Siriusly, XM? Even if the process is going to be a hindrance, the service agent should take the initiative to note my issue on my account and add some kind of flag within their own system. If they can automatically track me down to pursue me as a new customer, then adding a small note to automatically contact me in September or October is not unreasonable. It just requires that someone think of it. I fully recommend the high quality product produced by SiriusXM, and I have generally been pleased with the service I receive. But this episode is a good example of how what seems perfectly reasonable to a company due to internal process constraints can be completely unreasonable to a customer attempting to do more business with them. Can you remember a time when your interaction with a preferred brand became more about their process than about your outcome? Tell me about it in the comments.
