|
I’m angry. No doubt in an hour or two I shall be my usual phlegmatic self again, but for the moment I’m spurred to action by an incident this morning. And I’m angry not so much because of what happened, but because unfortunately it’s yet another example of just how easy it is to weaken a customer relationship, often unknowingly. What happened was very trivial. I went into my favourite local bakery shop to buy a scone. Cost: 35p - but all I had was a £5 note. At which the usually friendly assistant quietly tutted and pulled a face, and grudgingly gave me my change. So, transaction completed, desired outcomes achieved for both parties (the scone was enjoyable!). But…I will think twice before using that shop again. Why? The scones may still be great, but the relationship is damaged. Some more examples: Early morning, York station. Wanting a cup of coffee before boarding the 6.00 train. The only place open prepared my drink, but then didn’t have any change, so refused to complete the transaction – the person serving me put the cup of coffee to one side, to go to waste. Had he offered it me anyway, I’d have gone out of my way to pay him (in coins) on my next visit to the station. Instead, I will never use that kiosk again. (And in this instance I don’t blame the server – why on earth had the kiosk no change?) Whilst working with a client in Manchester, many mornings I’d call in at an excellent individual café en route from the train station (quite a coffee theme running through this!). We’d developed a good relationship, until one cold and wet morning I arrived 5 minutes before they opened – and they wouldn’t open the door and let me in to shelter and wait. Not that the person getting the place ready saw it like that – but even though I was a frequent customer (of over 80 visits), procedures took precedence over simple courtesy. A bank. No word about an urgent transaction that Vanessa (my wife) had requested in writing. I phoned to find out whether there were any procedural problems – perhaps we had not sent the right documents, for example – but the bank cited Data Protection policies and refused even to tell me whether the instructing letter had been received. ·A respected coach had to cancel a session near the end of our work together, and promised to e-mail me with a rearranged date. She didn’t.
All very minor. In some cases the actions were understandable, even logically justifiable, or perhaps ‘following company policy’. Yet…something important was broken, and in every case I’ve chosen not to deal with any of them since. In every customer interaction, there are three levels: product or service transaction relationship
The product might be fine, and the transaction carried out efficiently, or any issues resolved satisfactorily – but if the personal relationship is jeopardised in any way, if trust is dented, then these can count for nothing. I might be missing something, but I struggle to understand the strategy of those organisations who seek to attract new customers with prices and deals that are much better than those they offer to their existing customers. What message does that convey about the value these organisations put on the relationships with their current customers? They might have invested significant resources to win their business, only to then risk undermining these relationships. Financial institutions do not have good reputations for how they treat their customers (but they are not alone!). Three years ago in a joint initiative with another consultancy, Differentiate, we conducted some research into the attitudes of Building Society customers - although some were interested in just the best deals, for many it was trust that determined whether they stayed. They wanted to see their loyalty rewarded, not taken advantage of. The quality of the relationship mattered. Creating and sustaining a culture where customers matter as people can be challenging for any organisation – yet arguably such an attitude is at the heart of a successful business. When mistakes are made – in the product, during a transaction, or even with the relationship – how the organisation responds demonstrates whether or not such values are truly embedded. So, in the personal examples above, to repair the relationship all that was needed was some acknowledgement and a simple apology – it would have made all the difference! |
