This is an interesting topic: how to personalize occasions such as birthdays, wedding days and anniversaries? It all starts with understanding your customer. What are their expectations?
I had a good conversation with my friend Raymond Brunyanszki, the business owner of Camden Harbor Inn in the US. A Relais & Chateaux hotel and restaurant, where luxury and personal attention are key to keeping guests coming back. He told me that they ask their customers for special days. They found a way to systematize expectations and then translate these into solutions in operations.
This is what I would suggest the CX leader of the Waldorf Astoria:
Determine in the CX strategy how important special moments and tailoring to guest needs actually are. In my opinion, in luxury, it is extremely important. Because good food or a great spa, can only be topped by personal attention. So clarity in strategy is key.
Ask guests when booking if there are any special days or wishes. So that the staff knows this in advance. This way, they can anticipate these moments and organise some memorable experiences at these moments.
Make sure the CRM system recognises these special days. I am a Hilton Honors member and they know my date of birth. So on the day itself, the system could have given a certain mention, that at least during check out, the employee would have seen it was my birthday and could have congratulated me.
Make sure you have some branded gifts and a manuscript ready, detailing what to do when. Enable gifting! This way, staff members can easily grab a gift and a notecard from the shelf and present it to the customer. Branded, because if the customer shares a photo on social media, it is also great marketing for you as an organisation.
Train your staff in picking up on signs, when special moments occur. Make them alert.
In the morning, add special moments in the start up huddles at the operation teams. Do we have guests with special moments, who need a little extra attention today? If there is attention in the team and maybe even some gamification is added, it becomes a sport to exceed the guests' expectations.
What if you missed the mark? It happens. Don't just ask at check-out, "Did you have a pleasant stay?" Almost everyone says yes, and you won't get valuable information that way. Instead, ask "What could we have done better, that would have made your stay even more enjoyable?" That is genuine curiosity and helps you truly learn where to improve as an organization.
So, enough to be learned here. And... maybe you see even more CX pro suggestions. Please share!
For my 50th birthday, I booked a room for two nights at the Waldorf Astoria in Rome. Because I wanted to treat myself, but also because I wanted to make my 50th birthday a special experience. It is a very large hotel, so I had even given myself an upgrade to the Imperial Floor. Bigger rooms, a special lounge with drinks and snacks, but also - I thought - more personal attention.
Was it a fancy hotel? YES.
Did it have a great spa? YES.
Did it have a great outdoor swimming pool with fluffy towels? YES.
Did it have an outstanding breakfast? YES.
Product wise, it was all very good.
But did the hotel pay any personal attention to my 50th birthday? NO.
It was a disappointment. One of my friends from the Netherlands had arranged for a bottle of prosecco, a box of chocolates and a personal note to be delivered to my room on my last night as a 49-year-old. I also mentioned my birthday in the lounge (because I know that most CRM systems fail). But on the morning of my 50th birthday, there was nothing from the hotel to congratulate me. Not in my room, not at breakfast, not in the lounge, not at check-out. Nothing at all. Even though they could have known....
I started wondering. Did five-star luxury hotels become commodity? I don't know, but I do know that if you are a luxury brand that promises a certain level of personal service, this is a big failure. I also shared this story on Linkedin, where many agreed that the hotel missed the mark. But also, some mentioned a possible culture gap. Probably true for Italian birthdays, but the guests at the Waldorf (that I saw) were mostly Americans or English-speaking guests. And I know how important birthdays are for American guests! Even more than for me as a Dutchy.
The interesting thing was that when I checked out, the employee asked if my stay had been pleasant. And it had been, so I indicated that too. This is also where they fell short in asking for feedback. (Be sure to read the CX lens blog where I share my suggestion for them!) And... I didn't receive a survey. So the Waldorf staff can only read about my experience on LinkedIn now (or in this blog).
Why did I post this on LinkedIn? Not because I wanted to get this solved. Because if I had wanted to, I would have called the hotel, or sent a 'complaint'. No, it's more a question for us as CX professionals. What do you do with these special days? Especially in leisure industry. Or was I, as a guest, expecting too much? I posted this message to share, to learn and to get the conversation going.
We're on a campsite, in a cottage. And that's not just any campsite, but one that's hip and therefore quickly sold out. The booking already took place last November, bearing in mind that I would be abroad the whole month of June for wonderful speaking assignments and CX master classes. But yes... Suddenly there was corona. And like everyone else, I have been permanently in our beautiful Netherlands since mid-March.
The good news was that we had found a great holiday address. This campground was recommended by many: maybe a bit big, but great. Close to the beach, against the dunes. Lots of opportunities for children to play with sand and water. The reviews were almost too laudatory. I have to be honest: it makes me sceptical. I first want to see with my own eyes if the promises are kept. And what about the customer experience? I also want to experience that for myself.
So... There we went. The first week of construction. The busiest week of the high season in 2020. First I had to see how this campsite was going to live up to that great customer experience.
We were received perfectly. Quick, friendly and clear. We arrived at the cottage, so beautiful that it exceeded our expectations. With good beds and a perfect location: between the dunes, with its own verandah and such a beautiful tent canvas as a roof. We were perplexed.
The first bottle of wine opened, the little one left for the play area with lots of sand and we were regally in the relax mode. First we went through the booklet, with a map and tips, including activity planning.
The following days we had the best conversations with staff members of the campsite. They regularly drove by in electric carts. We were greeted cheerfully, we knew their names were Luuk, Gerard or Daan and little wishes were granted. So I forgot my yoga mat and within half a day I had one in our house. Every morning we received a newspaper, accompanied by a cheerful 'Good morning!'. In such a case I don't manage to be just a 'guest' anymore. Immediately my professional bias pop up as well. How is this arranged? What processes and agreements are made with the staff? I could not control my curiosity and asked Daan. He immediately explained their concept. How they, together with all the staff, colour the last page of the brochure. The page you can't describe, but you have to experience.
How wow is that? Not just thinking about it, but realizing it in the middle of the high season. With processes, agreements and above all: in concrete behaviour. They have me wrapped up as a customer. Spoiled with a very nice holiday customer experience. Chapeau camping. Chapeau staff. We have already booked for 2021.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on 22 September 2020
What do you think? A yes or a no? I'm curious. But before I share my opinion, we’ll go for an experiment.
Suppose. You wake up and you are happy. You jump fresh and energized out of your bed. Because you are looking forward to this new day. Full of passion you go to work. You walk into the kitchen of McDonalds, greet your colleagues and start working (after washing your hands; of course!) First order is that of a BigMac. What do you do?
1. You have done this so many times that you no longer have to look at the picture of this hamburger. But you know exactly what the structure is. Sandwich, sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, two hamburgers, a slice of cheese and even more sauce (for the real experts, I hope I'm right). So, you build the hamburger as it should be, put it in the box and there you go: this burger is ready to be eaten.
Or
Today you are going to think outside the box. You have heard your manager talking about autonomy and you are going to make this hamburger even better. A little more sauce, little less meat. Because yes, you consider the environment. Maybe three slices of tomato are a good idea. Just put your passion in it and you're done. Hamburger in the box and there you go: this burger is ready to be eaten.
What do you do: 1 or 2? I hope you chose for scenario 1, because that is exactly what the customer expects. Hopefully the hamburger will be handed over to the customer with a big smile in order to create a great customer experience.
Because that is what customer centricity is all about. About the product or service the customer expects and receives in a certain degree of consistency. That requires frameworks. What should that consistency be for your company? Is this a certain speed, quality, tone-of-voice, or structure of the hamburger? And yes, of course you can give that little extra in terms of service or a small gift. But the basics is that hamburger, that product.
So, no. Customer centricity is not everybody’s responsibility. The foundation of customer centricity lies with those people who design it. That can be the customer experience team. Or marketing for example, or the customer contact center. They set up frameworks that employees can and will have to stick to. And if you know how to give that little bit extra as an employee... That smile. That service. That real contact with your customer. Then you made it: you are really customer centric. If so, you can be very proud of that.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on 16 October 2019
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/De-klant-centraal-is-van-ons-allemaal.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2019-10-21 07:00:532022-01-25 14:34:58Customer centric, belongs to all of us
Maybe you know, maybe you don't. But me wearing a blue dress when I perform and speak, has a start. I call it the birth of my personal brand. Let me share the story with you.
It was Sunday March 29th 2015. I was invited to my first Professional Speaker Association event, not only to learn, but also to speak. Imagine this: I had just quit my job 3 months earlier, was in the early days of my speaking career and the second bunch of people I spoke for, were all speakers. I was so terrified and excited at the same time, and worked vigorously to create a brilliant story. Where CX meets a speaker's business. I did try outs, worked on my slides, and worked on my body, since I wanted to look my best. Ever.
Besides yoga I ran twice a week (I jogged to be honest). Two days before D-day, when I was running in the city of Utrecht, I sprained my calf. It hurt like crazy and the most awful part was, that I couldn't walk. Should I cancel my PSA event? From a body's point of view: yes. I couldn't walk and had to keep my leg up, to give it rest. But there was no issue with my mouth and voice, so I decided to go anyway. And with crutches, I could make my way around the event.
There was just one issue. I had planned to wear a red dress, but I had blue crutches and that was not a beautiful match. So, I dug deep in my closet and found the perfect dress. A dress that matched my crutches. A blue dress. And I tailored my story more to the blue theme. I used the blue bear as a metaphor, the big blue bear that is an art work outside the Denver Convention Center. My metaphor for staying curious and yes, blue again. So, the day came, where I delivered my keynote speech. I was nervous, and yes it felt a little strange to not stand up and walk while speaking. I delivered my keynote on a barstool, but hey, I did it!
It went great and I got a big round of applause of all my new speaker friends. After my speech, a colleague of a speaker bureau came up to me and asked if I was interested in speaking for their agency. As the speaker in the blue dress.
That's where it all began. And since then, I almost always speak in a blue dress. As it has grown to be my personal brand. To be an authentic part of me doing what I love to do. Helping my customers to make the world more beautiful for their customers and employees. I get many questions about my blue dress thing and thought it would be handy to create a FAQ for you.
The FAQ of the blue dress
Do you have funny stories about you in your blue dress?
The best story of me and my blue dress, is one that happened at Schiphol Airport. I ordered a cappuccino when I was on my way to fly to London. The barista gave me my cappuccino and said; "that is one euro 60". I looked up in amazement, because cappuccino's in airports are normally triple that price. She saw my surprise and said: "Employee discount." She thought I was an employee of KLM ? So up to now I have saved at least three euro's doing my blue dress thing.
How many blue dresses do you have?
It is more than four years ago and since then, my collection of blue dresses has grown. Every time I walk into a department store or boutique, my Blue-dress-radar starts immediately. I am always on the lookout for a new edition to add to my blue dress collection ?. In my closet, I have designers' dresses, La-Dresses, a ball gown, sleeveless dresses, V-neck dresses, short and longer dresses. I just counted them for you, and I dare to share that I have 17 blue dresses in the colors cobalt/royal blue.
Do you have any other color dresses?
Yes I have other colors, but I must admit, my blue collection takes half of my closet. I treasure my royal blue ones, but I also have a collection of darker blue. And of course, other shades, some with flowers. But know that I almost never wear them when I deliver a presentation or when I teach a masterclass: those moments I'll stick to my vivid blue ones. O well, I give you an idea what my wardrobe looks like.
Do you ever wear trousers?
Yes, I do. When I go to the gym I always wear trousers. That's twice a week. And that's enough for me... I have some jeans in my closet. But I rarely wear them. I love the simplicity of a dress. One piece, no hassle and I look feminine instantly.
Do you ever speak in another colored dress?
Especially when I speak abroad, I bring two dresses of different colors. The blue one and most often an orange or red one. The reason I do this, is because when the stage is all blue, me in my blue dress will fade away against the background. And I don't want that. So sometimes I have to decide to let the personal brand go and choose for client delivery. A logical choice, because when you can't see the speaker that well, I have not done a great job.
Did you ever go to Denver and see the blue bear for yourself?
Yes, I did. You have to know, that in 2015 when I started with the blue bear in my stories, I made a pledge to myself that I wanted to see that blue bear with my own eyes. In 2016 I went to a training of a speaker colleague to learn all about marketing and sales for speakers. In DENVER. Yiha! So, I got to meet the blue bear, the immense art work that is almost 13 meters high.
Do you also have a blue car, blue nails, blue everything?
No. I just wear a blue dress. That is my image, my personal brand. In my logo I have blue as a color, but that is about it. I don't want to be a blue lady and identify with Smurfette, although I really think she is adorable. So, just a blue dress. Now you know everything about the origin of that!
** Nienke Bloem is an expert in Customer Experience (CCXP), both as Keynote Speaker, teacher of the 2 day CX Masterclass to prepare you for the CCXP exam and she is co-founder of the customer experience game. Do you want to read her blogs or learn more about her? Visit her website or subscribe to her monthly CX Greetz. **
** Feel free to comment on this blog and share it in your community! **
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/The-story-behind-the-blue-dress.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Flower2019-07-16 14:57:562022-01-25 14:34:58The story behind the blue dress
...why you are getting it all wrong when it comes to the visual revolution.
We are in the age of the visual revolution. I'm sorry? What? Yes, visuals are the bomb. Not just a little bit, but all over the place. Where Instagram is growing like crazy, YouTube is the second largest search engine and even LinkedIn is growing when it comes to images and video.
A real big chance for everybody. Not only telling how good your products and services are, but also showing it with images. Because images speak louder than words; right?
Let's dive a little deeper where it tends to get ugly when it comes to visuals.
Let's go on a cruise
This April I got on a cruise. In 2016 we cruised with Carnival Cruises, which was a big eye opener and fun and brilliant customer experience(on which I blogged). So in 2019 we wanted to push it a little, go on a longer cruise and see more islands. We changed to Celebrity Cruises, because their ships were newer, the destinations fitted and the whole look and feel of the website, matched with what I was longing for.
This is where it all went wrong. Please take a look on their website: I am curious what you see and what impression you get? Well I got the impression of modern luxury (which is also what they promise, as one of the guest relations officers told me) and the website shows guests like me.
The Stereotype Exercise
Now, let's do a small exercise that I learned at Disney Institute. The Stereotype exercise. When you think of cruising and the typical customer. What things come to mind? Before I type any further, you could pick up pen and paper, but you can also keep reading. I will join you in your mind.
When I stereotype cruising and their guests, I think of an older population, a little grey-haired to be honest. Pensioners, who love jewelry and play bridge. They are grandparents, children moved out of the home. Who want to experience luxury and comfort and want to dine with captain Stubing (little joke).
Our experience in 2016 was really different. Carnival is known for their fun and they attract a young crowd. That is also what their website shows when it comes to visuals. Now let's switch back to Celebrity. When I glance at their visuals on the website or their Instagram, I see people like me. Young, okay, this is debatable ?, but between 40 and 55. Young, right?! A young crowd who enjoys life, who likes to explore and have new adventures. This is what they market, this is what they sell on their website.
Different expectations
So imagine entering the boarding area in Fort Lauderdale, where the first impression was... An old peoples home. The stereotype we just imagined. Yes, we saw canes, walking racks and wheelchairs. That is not any issue, but I booked this holiday with a different expectation. Praise the lord there were younger people aboard, but they were scarce. And that was a real pity for my daughter of twenty, who I brought along. Yes, we had a great holiday, but thinking back of the Carnival Cruise and the fun we had with most of the guests; I wish we booked with them.
During the cruise, we shared tables with many people and for example had a chat with a couple (in their 70s) who were on their tenth cruise with Celebrity. Yes, they admitted Celebrity is known for a little older crowd. That is what they liked and why they came back. Again and again. And we had many more chats like that.
Disappointment
The fourth day of the cruise, I decided to have a conversation with guest relations. Because it somehow itched that the cruise was marketed in a way, which wasn't delivered. I explained my disappointment and the lady behind the desk spoke these words "Yes, we have an older population on board. If you would have liked a younger cruise, you should have booked Royal Caribbean." What?! Really?!
While I am writing this, I feel the same emotions again. Those of frustration and disappointment. You sell me a cruise with a certain expectation, I book online, I have to let you know who I travel with (a twenty-year-old), you give no advice and then a little twat behind the desk tells me this. My oh my.
Where did it go wrong from an organizational customer experience point of view?
Honor your clients
I think the marketeers of Celebrity Cruises are all pretty young and hip. Chances are they hire other hip website builders, travelers and influencers to create visuals and tell stories. Probably the board wants to rejuvenate their passengers. Marketing most certainly works with personas, but I don't think the older traveler is in there. They aim for young, as shows their website and Instagram.
Now comes the truth and nothing but the truth. Be happy with your clients. Give them the credits they deserve. Because these older guests are filling your pockets. Make sure you show reality in your visuals. Not just polishing it up with models and stock photos you use now. Show your real customers in your visuals. Give them the place they deserve on your website, Instagram and Facebook.
Because what happened with me, is not an N=1 (just one traveller) situation. We had a conversation with over ten other young guests, and they had the same experience as we had. They were also not coming back on Celebrity. At least not in the next twenty years ?, as at that age we fit their age group in a better way.
My dear marketeers, when you show pictures that are too far from the truth, you are the reason why customers get disappointed. Guest relations can't fix it down the line. They can only fix it with some extra's, but you are two steps behind.
Be real
Does this only happen in the travel industry? NO. This is the hard truth in many areas of visual marketing. For example, have a look at websites of golf courses. The pictures are beautiful. The sun is rising. Greens look so green. Bunkers are all raked meticulously. And the most surprising thing; almost never do you see any people golfing. It could be a very young and slim couple, but most often these golf courses are photographed at moments of total 'nobodyness'.
Reality is different. Most golf courses host many flights of golfers. There are PEOPLE on a golf course. Not models, but people like me, my mom and dad. Normal people.
Of course, you want to look your best on a website. You want to show things on a sunny day. Literally and metaphorically. But don't overdo it. Make sure it looks great, but also real. Because if you don't: reality will hit and create disappointment down the line.
So, my plea is: do the reality check. Take a look at your website and other social channels where you use visuals like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Are you telling the truth, or should you take it down a notch? Me and my fellow customers would appreciate the real story. Thank you.
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Disney - we all know the brand, and I have visited their theme parks several times. Both in Paris as well as in Orlando. But how do they consistently deliver their Disney Magic? This year I decided to invest in myself and learn more and follow one of Disney Insitute's couses. A separate company, dedicated to spreading Disney's knowledge through training and advice.
I followed a One-Day course at Anaheim, the Disneyland location. The very first location of all Disney parks, where Walt Disney himself had his vision and where he put it in practice.
The whole day was well organized, starting very early with breakfast at 7:30 AM. From the moment I entered the training room, the Disney touch was there, including plenty of Mickey shaped confetti on the table. There was a workbook for all participants and a refillable Disney water bottle.
This program was focused on how to consistently deliver quality service to your clients, based on your own brand. This is exactly how I envisage my A.C.E. Strategy that I speak and write about:
Authentic experiences from your unique brand perspective, consistently delivered during the customer journey, by Employee Ambassadors who understand and can deliver the service to customers.
It was fabulous to see how Disney puts that into practice and together with 47 other participants, I learned all about this at Disney Institute. Besides the theoretical part, we also went into the park itself (although short) to see and experience the theory ourselves (also known as a Customer Safari).
I have written about ten pages full of insights, quotes and memorable stories. As you are probably not waiting for all of my notes, here are the three major insights I got from the course:
1. Purpose over Task
At Disney everybody is educated by the spirit of Walt Disney and learns about the common purpose of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts: "We create happiness by providing the finest in entertainment for people of all ages, everywhere" in short "Creating Happiness for Others".
It was interesting to learn the origin of this purpose, with a big role of new person to me: Van France, Founder and Professor Emeritus of Disney Universities. What was even more interesting, was that in the Disney Philosophy, every employee has the freedom to create happiness for guests. That means that in a service moment, where the guidelines are clear for a specific task, there is room to make an exception. The employee may decide to follow his/her gut and go for happiness instead. To be "off task" and "on purpose".
They gave an example about a girl called Alice who visited the park. The Disney employee asked why she was sad, as she had a birthday pin on. So she told them that yes, it was her birthday, but all her friends had to cancel, because of illness and other appointments. But she decided to go to Disney anyway. The employee did all she could to create a special moment in a restaurant, where characters of Alice in Wonderland (see the alignment ?) were present and celebrated with her. Because, in Disney there are always friends and a birthday should always be celebrated.
Should the member of staff do this all the time? No. But was it appropriate at this moment and she had every reason to be "off task" (which was providing service at an attraction) and "on purpose" to go out of her way and arrange a perfect birthday celebration for Alice. Of course, Alice still visits Disney often, made new friends, and is an ambassador forever.
So the lesson here is: What is the purpose of your company and which are situations where your employees go the extra mile? Do you have such brilliant stories within your company; those everlasting customer stories that make you feel proud and cause a smile on everybody's face?
2. Prioritize Quality Standards
When I am visiting companies, I am always interested in what they want to deliver to their customers. Often, we are creating a customer compass or a customer charter. With three to five (up to seven, but that is exceptional) customer promises or brand values that are specific for the brand and that align all employees towards the same customer experiences.
At Disney they have four Quality Standards, also known as "The Four Keys". Courtesy, Safety, Show and Efficiency. A very interesting assignment during the course, was to prioritize these four keys. Because, in the way Disney teaches their employees, they need to know what is important to make consistent decisions. So each of these standards is equally important (don't ever say the fourth is least important... ?), but there is a logical Disney order. And that is
Safety
Courtesy
Show
Efficiency
This sounds so logical to apply a prioritization, but I have never done it this way. So from now on, prioritization will be added as an option to the Nienke Bloem CX toolkit.
3. Seriously organize your service recovery
Things can go wrong. Even at Disney things go wrong, but they make it their task to recover what needs to be recovered. I like the description: "Service Recovery is an event that occurs when the customer's expectations are not met."
For Disney it is important to pursue the relationship with the customer, which has great impact on their view of service recovery, or as I see it named in companies' "Complaints" procedures. At Disney they don't want to just resolve the issue, but they want to reconiliate the relationship.
Because guests are likely to care just as much - if not more - about how they are treated following the service failure as they care about the outcome of a service recovery itself.
So what Disney has done is to put processes and systems in place on service recovery. Of course they also have the outer loop and are continuously improving their operations and systems, but as they pursue the same consistency in service recovery as in their daily service, they have thought about everything.
On this topic we had a guest speaker who told so many compelling service recovery stories, that really proved that Disney has this under control. And she closed off with the following: "Things can go wrong, they might not be our fault, but they are our problem."
The ownership of service issues, of things that went wrong, that is where Disney steps up and makes the difference.
My question for you, is how are service recovery processes organized in your company? Do you have the same drive for service recovery and do people take ownership? Is the How(the way) just as important or maybe even more so than the What (the solution)? If you can answer: "Yes!", hurray for you, as you joined Disney in customer obsession. If you have to answer: "No", you've got work to do!
These were my three major insights and I will take them along and incorporate them in my consulting, writing, presenting and teaching practices. So, you can expect more on Disney and my findings in the common months.
Disney rocks! They want to differentiate themselves from the market. They are a premium brand and strive for consistent delivery of their four quality standards every day. I want to challenge you to go the Disney way. Is there one of these three insights, that spark your imagination and make you ambitious enough to step up the customer experience in your company? Reach out to me or please share in the comments which of the three insights it is for you, so I also learn which appeals the most.
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https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/What-did-I-learn-at-Disney-Institute.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2019-02-18 11:58:232022-01-25 14:34:59What I learned at Disney Institute: my three major insights of graduating the course 'Disney's Approach to Quality Service'
“Good morning Miss! Are you looking forward to join us on our flight to the Netherlands?” A big smile on his face clearly gives away that he's enjoying his day. His female colleague, right behind him, looks sternly past me and ignores my cheerful “Good morning!” Whilst looking for my seat - 2F - I see a third flight assistant, who is very busy organizing all the luggage. Her expression oozes that we, the passengers, obviously have no clue how to do that.
Before take-off, we get our safety instructions. I see the happy camper, two rows in front of me, smiling away. He carries out his routine energetically whilst making eye contact with several passengers. From safety belt to life jacket, he keeps smiling and just won't be put off by anything today. Behind him, the purser on this flight proceeds with her usual drill. She just about manages to avoid a big sigh when she's finished, but this grumpy lady clearly doesn't seem to enjoy her day at all.
We're taking off and soon it's time for drinks and snacks. You need to pay for food and drinks with this airline and all of a sudden I realize that my wallet is in the overhead locker. Still, I have this craving for a noodle soup (guilty pleasure, I admit!). My happy camper takes my order, and shares with me that it is also one of his favorites. He then asks the grumpy colleague to prepare a “noodle soup for the lovely lady in seat 2F please”. Then I have to tell him that my wallet is in the overhead locker. “No problem at all, Miss”, he says enthusiastically, “that could happen to all of us.” Grumpy colleague utters an audible sigh and turns around to prepare my noodle soup. My backpack appears, and he adds that pink is also his favorite color, and a lot of people around me have joined in the laughter at this stage.
This guy is really enjoying his job, fantastic! I'm sure this must be the second flight of his work day and he may have been up well before the crack of dawn. Just like the grumpy one by the way, who is by now far from pleased. She has forgotten about the noodle soup and when I ask her about it she nearly snaps.
After two months and four flights with different airlines, I still remember that particular flight, with the grumpy purser and the contagious energy of the happy steward. That happy camper who managed to put a smile on everyone's face. Thank you! And I hope I can fly with you again some day soon!
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on 28 March 2018
More and more, I come to the conclusion that this is the missing link in many businesses and a must have when it comes to customer experience. The need for clear promises to customers. To see if this is an issue in your company, please try to answer these questions:
How does your company or brand stand out in comparison with your competitors? What is really distinguishing your company when it comes to the offering to your customers?
What do you promise your customers when they do business with you? What can they really expect from the product?
What kind of service promises do you make to customers? What do you want your customers to experience in which channels?
To deliver great customer experiences, you have to begin with the end in mind
What do you want your customers to experience? Were you able to answer at least 2 of the questions above? No? Now it is time to pay attention. I like to use airlines and cruises as examples. Let's start with airlines.
Two complete opposites when it comes to flying. RyanAir and Emirates. When diving deeper into Ryanair, they have the brand promise "Low fares, made simple". Everything they do is translated from this branding principle. The blue and yellow returns everywhere, on their website, banners, even in their planes. As a customer, you know what to expect. The low cost airline in Europe.
When looking at Emirates, they have the brand promise "Comfort and attention to detail you can rely on whenever you travel." A whole different ball game from a branding perspective and you know what you can expect. Attention to detail, from the greeting in the plane, to the chauffeur service when you fly business class. They focus on a different customer, a different segment as does Ryanair.
Let's also look at the cruise examples
I have picked three.Carnival is the cruise company I traveled with in 2016. They promise you "Fun for all and all for fun". Knowing this,it makes it much easier to translate it into actions. Into moments in the customer journey where fun can be delivered. Also where there are possibilities for up and cross sell.
In the cruise business, there are more and another distinguishing brands. One of them is Disney Cruises. As soon as I write it down, you will know. This is all about Mickey and Minnie. As I have been browsing the web, it is still not crystal clear what their brand promise is, but it all comes down to "Creating happiness through magical experiences" Focusing on families, on entertaining people who love the character experience.
Taking it down a different road is the Monsters of Rock cruise. Yes, a cruise that travels only once a year, fully booked with hard rock fans. No family vacation, but a real niche in the cruising industry. Customers that love hard rock and heavy partying are taking this cruise. So a clear branding, which also easily translates into entertainment, food and beverages. Take a look at their website and browse the FAQ. Their brand identity, has been translated in the way the questions are asked. As would their customers. I love question #9. Not "What kind of food is on board?". No, it is all aligned with their Hard Rock image "Am I going to starve on board?".
The key in all these examples, is that it's about choosing. Who are we to our customers?
Brand promise, customer promises; what is the difference?
Some companies have a brand promise, like Carnival Cruises. Another example I like is KLM. They don't have a brand promise, but they have customer promises. When looking on their website, you'll find WHY to fly with KLM. They promise: 1. Direct flights around the globe, 2. Favorable flight schedules, 3. No charge, 4. Weather in your way? We got your back, 5. 24 hours to cancel, 6. Fly more, benefit more.
See the photo for a clip of the website. Where I especially like the promise "Typo? No charge". It's a very specific promise, where they explain: "Booked flights on klm.com and discovered a spelling mistake in the name on your ticket? We don't charge you for being human. Just contact us via social media to correct your name. Please make sure to have it corrected at least 24 hours before check-in of your first flight starts."
What I like about this customer promise, is that it addresses a fear that customers have. It reassures customers and takes care of them.
Now it comes back to you. What kind of promises do you make to your customers, or do you want to make to your customers? A promise on the highest level: a brand promise? Or rather customer promises that focus on elements in the customer journey?
What are crucial elements when it comes to choosing brand and/or customer promises?
There's no easy answer here. But let's try. When reading the blog of Bruce Jones (Disney Institute), I am attracted to the four elements he claims a brand promise must have from a customers perspective. The four things customers are looking for in a brand promise to be:
Important - Customers have expectations regarding the fair exchange of value. In exchange for their money and time, they rightfully expect something meaningful in return. The brand promise must convey what matters most to your customers.
Credible - Customers must believe that what you're promising is possible and deliverable. It has never been good policy to "over-promise" and "under-deliver."
Exclusive - No organization can be successful at trying to be everything for everybody. Find your niche, and carve out a unique space to "own" in the mind of your customer.
Differentiating - The brand promise must truly set you apart from your competitors and be based on legitimate differentiators.
I am curious. Do you dare to set yourself and your business apart from other businesses and stand out with an Important, Credible, Exclusive and Differentiating brand promise? Please let me know where you struggle in your company to stand out with your brand promise and maybe I can help you out. Let's help each other in creating these Great Customer Experiences.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/The-4-elements-of-a-brilliant-brand-promise.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2018-04-12 13:20:412022-01-25 14:35:01The 4 elements of a brand promise
