Tag Archives: brand reputation

Are you telling customers that you think they’re thieves?

Posted on April 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Nordstrom has a longstanding reputation for providing outstanding customer service. A recent trip to the department store reconfirmed that opinion for me and gave me another reason to praise the store.

I purchased a couple bottles of nail polish for a gift and then headed to the customer service desk to have the store validate my parking ticket. When I asked, the woman at the desk smiled and said “Of course! We’re happy to validate your parking if you’ve shopped with us today.” I reached into my tiny shopping bag—which had been hidden from her view—to grab my receipt. The woman stopped me and said “Oh, that’s not necessary. I’ll just assume your bag is full of merchandise.”

I left with a validated ticket and a really good feeling. It was nice to be trusted.

I suspect that many companies, perhaps even most companies, have a very different policy for validating parking. After all, it would be easy for someone to cheat the system at Nordstrom. I could, for instance, have brought the bag with me from home and not have purchased a thing. I think most companies would at least demand—politely, of course—to see the receipt. And some would probably even mark it to make sure no one could reuse it.

Because I’m an honest person, it rubs me the wrong way when I get the impression that an organization doesn’t trust me. But many send that message of distrust loud and clear. Here are a couple of examples I’ve encountered:

  • I once went to a restaurant that included a note like this at the bottom of the menu: “Only one fountain drink refill per customer.  IF YOU SHARE YOUR FOUNTAIN DRINK, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO A REFILL!” I felt like someone was just waiting to reprimand me if I offered anyone a sip of my soda.
  • Most of the serve-yourself frozen yogurt places have signs indicating that you can’t begin eating until you’ve weighed and paid for your dessert, but I went to one that was absolutely plastered with those messages. There must have been a dozen warnings. I felt like they assumed everyone was trying to steal from them.

Nordstrom gets what those other stores do not: It’s worth forfeiting an occasional $1.50 to pay for the parking of a dishonest customer if it means that everyone else has a positive experience. Those other places are “penny wise and pound foolish,” as the saying goes. They protect themselves from losing a few cents to people who share sodas or taste yogurt, but they lost themselves a lifetime of business from me. I’m not interested in being a repeat customer at a place that treats me like I’m a potential thief.

Does being distrusted as a customer bother you?

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Team projects: Are you all on the same page?

Posted on March 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Collaborating with a group can be an excellent way to break down a huge project into manageable pieces. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful, it can result in a finished project that looks downright schizophrenic.

Don’t risk the team’s reputation by turning in something that appears to have been thrown together at the last minute. Instead, a few days before the finished project is due, gather everyone’s components, and select a nitpicker to go over everything with a fine-tooth comb. Look for nonalignment in:

  • Facts. First and foremost, make sure that everyone’s research agrees. On many topics “experts” disagree, but your project shouldn’t contradict itself. Example: If one section of the group’s proposal says that tires should be rotated “every 5,000 miles” while another section says “every 5,000 to 10,000 miles,” you’re sending a mixed message. Choose one and stick with it throughout the entire proposal.

  • Vocabulary. Similarly, variations in terms can be distracting or confusing for your audience. For example, if the majority of a presentation refers to “teenagers” and one person’s section refers to “young adults,” your audience might wonder if you’re talking about a different group in that section.

  • Style. Search for any jarring shifts in voice or tone. Consider whether these things are consistent throughout:

    • Point of view. Example:  “We have always thought …” vs. “You might think …” vs. “One might think …”

    • Humor. For example, does one person’s component include a bunch of puns while the rest of the project is totally serious?

    • Word choice. In addition to consistency of terms, as described above, make sure each section reflects the same style of word choice as well. Example: Look for sections that are heavy on jargon, or slang that doesn’t flow well with the rest of the project’s language.

  • Formatting. Whether your project is on paper or PowerPoint, inconsistencies instantly will draw the attention of your audience. Make sure all sections use the same font, margins, colors, image-style (e.g. photographs vs. illustrations) and bullet style. Additionally, for PowerPoint presentations, standardize the theme (i.e. the background), slide layout, transitions, sound effects and animation.

  • Punctuation. Some might find this unnecessarily nitpicky, but attention to the smallest details—the punctuation marks—can mean the difference between an adequate and a very polished project. Keep an eye out for punctuation issues with more than one accepted rule, such as Oxford comma usage (i.e. the optional comma before a conjunction in a sentence like “They bought furniture, rugs, and lamps.”).

Does your team rely on a style guide?

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Don’t goof on proofing

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | 5 Comments

By Kendall Martin

I recently received an email from a professional proofreader claiming to “offer an affordable profreading service” (italics added).

I’m sure the writer was simply typing quickly and hit Send before reading over the sentence. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that she did not properly execute the very service she was promoting.

In a world where we are constantly writing emails, text messages, tweets and blog posts, it’s easy to hit Send or Post without carefully proofing what we have written. That hurried approach and lack of attention to detail may turn away readers and potential customers—even if you aren’t advertising a proofreading service. Follow these rules to avoid embarrassment:

  • Read it twice. Even when sending a quick text message, stop to read two times what you have written.
     
  • Read it aloud. Before posting a blog entry or sending an e-mail, read it out loud. You will catch errors that the spell-check software on your computer missed or that the AutoCorrect feature on your smartphone inserted.
     
  • Add another set of eyes. Have someone else read over your blog entry before submitting it. If your business counts on your blog for marketing, you don’t want to lose customers because of poor proofing.
     
  • Slow down. When using Twitter or sending an email, you don’t get a second chance once your words are out there. Give yourself plenty of time to read over with the eyes of a proofreader what you have written.

Have you ever changed your mind about using a business or service because of poor spelling or grammar?

Don’t make others question your intelligence or professionalism. If you’re not confident about your business writing skills, check out Proofread Like a Pro.

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How to make a bad situation worse

Posted on February 22, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Have you ever had a bad customer service experience that was exacerbated by the organization’s response to the problem? Probably. It certainly happens to me often. When I don’t “get my way” as a customer, I’m frustrated. But if that frustration is met with an unfeeling, robot-like response, I’m livid.

Consider this scenario:

A customer orders an item that is supposed to be delivered in seven to 10 business days. In 10 days she has an event where she plans to wear the item. Unfortunately, it doesn’t arrive in time; it shows up on the 11th day. She returns it, and the company refunds her, less the shipping cost. The customer is frustrated because she feels the shipping fee should have been refunded as well, since the item was late, and that was the cause of the return. But when she contacts the company to explain the situation, she receives a response like one of these:

Dear Customer X,

We apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, our return policy does not refund shipping. Thank you for understanding.

Have a nice day,
Employee Z

Or

Dear Customer X,

We apologize for the inconvenience. Your account has been credited $7.00 to cover shipping.

We appreciate your business,
Employee Z

A customer who received the first email is going to be furious, partially because she didn’t get what she wanted, but also because the response is so nonspecific and unfeeling it could have been automated. And while a customer who received the second message might not be as angry, she probably doesn’t feel support or empathy from the company. It’s unlikely that she’ll complain further, but she might take her business elsewhere in the future, even though her request was granted. Consider these alternative responses:

 Dear Customer X,

I am very sorry that your order didn’t come in time for your event! I can imagine the frustration that must have caused you. If there was any way for me to refund your shipping cost I would, but unfortunately our return policy cannot cover standard shipping, as that arrival time is estimated, not guaranteed. Once we send out a shipment through standard mail, there’s really no way for us to control its arrival. However, I don’t want you to be frustrated, so I’d like to offer you this 20% off code for your next order: Save_20. 

Again, I’m very sorry,
Employee Z

Or

Dear Customer X,

I am very sorry that your order didn’t come in time for your event! I can imagine the frustration that must have caused you. Of course I will refund your shipping fee. I also want to assure you that it is very, very rare for our shipments to arrive after the estimated arrival window, so I hope you’ll feel confident to shop with us again.

Please let me know if I can be of any more help,
Employee Z

A customer who received the third email might still be frustrated, but not nearly to the extent she would be if she received the first example. Being spoken to like a real human being makes a big difference. And a customer who received the final email would be appeased on two levels: for receiving the refund and for getting what appears to be a sincere, heartfelt apology.

I understand that no organization can always give the customer what he or she wants, but every organization can respond to disappointed customers with respect and empathy.

We’d love to hear your tips for responding to customer complaints. Please share them in the Comments section.

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Cyberbullying in the business world

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

A few times in recent months, I’ve read posts on Facebook in which parents defend their children against bullies who abuse others through the social network.

The subject of cyberbullying has dominated the headlines over the last year. Children and teens turn to Facebook and Twitter to communicate with one another, and abusive behavior that was once reserved for the school yard has moved online. Cyberbullying has become a very real problem.

Reading those posts got me thinking about how businesses are sometimes the victims of cyberbullying. A customer can post terrible comments on Facebook, insult the writer of a blog post, “tweet” reputation-damaging statements, all under the safe cloak of anonymity. Even when they’re not completely anonymous, they don’t have to look at the bewildered or pained face of a customer service rep or even listen to the voice of a person who is trying to rectify the situation.

Without face-to-face (or even over-the-phone) interaction, it’s much easier to be vicious, to say things that the person would never dream of saying to an actual person. It’s safe to assume that statements made in social media formats are sometimes—if not often—overblown. Still, organizations must address those comments to protect their reputations.

So how do you respond to negative comments targeted at your products or organization through the various social media outlets? Here are some suggestions:

  • Focus on the facts. If someone posts something false, provide accurate information to set the record straight.
     
  • Accept constructive criticism. If customers provide feedback—even if it is also insulting—publish the comments. Respond by thanking customers for their suggestions. You can either state that you are considering their feedback or quickly offer a solution that is already in place for resolving the issue.
     
  • Own up to the criticism. Perhaps your organization has done something that warrants the negative comments. Publish the comments and apologize for the problem. That’s a great way to save face and show some integrity to your customers.
     
  • Don’t become argumentative or rude. Use calm respectful language. Don’t make accusations or assumptions. Simply and quickly state your case.
     
  • Clean house. Some people troll websites and write nasty comments for “fun.” Don’t respond to derogatory comments that have no merit. Ignore them. If the person continues to attack you, block him or her from commenting.

Ever had to deal with a cyber attack? Tell us how you handled it.

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