This is an interesting topic: how can you personalize occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and anniversaries? It all starts with understanding and empathizing with your customer. What are the 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 central to keep guests coming back. He told me that they ask their customers for special days. They have found a way to systematize expectations and then translate them into solutions in business operations.
Here's what I'd recommend to the CX leader at the Waldorf Astoria:
In the CX strategy, determine how important special moments and alignment with guest wishes actually are. In my opinion, it is extremely important in the luxury segment. Because good food or a nice wellness is only possible with personal attention. So clarity in strategy is key.
When booking, ask guests if there are any special days or wishes. So that the staff knows this in advance. This way, they can anticipate these moments and organize some memorable experiences.
Make sure the CRM system recognizes these special days. I'm 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 that it was my birthday and congratulated me.
Make sure you have a number of branded gifts and a manuscript ready, including what you need to do and when. This way, employees can easily grab a gift and a card 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 organization.
Train your staff to pick up on signals when special moments arise. Make them alert.
Discuss special moments in the morning when starting up the teams on the shop floor. Do we have guests with special moments, who need extra attention today? If there is attention in the team and maybe even some game elements are added, it becomes a sport to exceed the expectations of the guests.
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 that's not how you get any valuable information. Instead, ask, "What could we have done better, what would have made your stay even more enjoyable?" That's genuine curiosity and really helps you learn where you can improve as an organization.
So plenty to learn from this. And... you might even see even more CX pro suggestions. Please share them!
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's a very big hotel, so I even upgraded myself to the Imperial Floor. Larger 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 beautiful outdoor pool with fluffy beach towels? YES.
Did it have an excellent breakfast? YES.
'Product wise' it was all very good.
But did the hotel have any personal attention regarding my 50th birthday? NO.
It was a disappointment. One of my friends from the Netherlands had arranged a bottle of prosecco, a box of chocolates and a personal note for me, which were delivered to my room on my last night as a 49-year-old. I also mentioned my birthday in the lounge (because I know most CRM systems fail). But on the morning of my 50th birthday, I didn't receive a single congratulatory message from the hotel. Not in my room, not at breakfast, not in the lounge, not at check-out. Nothing. Even though they should have known...
I began to wonder if five-star luxury hotels have become a commodity? I don't know, but I do know that if you're a luxury brand that promises a certain level of personalized service, this is a big mistake. I also shared this story on Linkedin, where many agreed that the hotel missed the mark. But some called it a possible culture gap. That is possible and maybe this is true for Italian birthdays, but the guests at the Waldorf (which I saw) were mostly Americans or English-speaking guests. And I know how important birthdays are to Americans! Even more so than for me as a Dutchman.
The interesting thing was that at check-out, the staff member asked if my stay had been pleasant. And that was true, so that's what I indicated. This is also where they fell short in asking for feedback. (Be sure to read the CX lens blog in which I share my suggestion for them!) And... I didn't receive a survey. The staff of the Waldorf can only read my experience on LinkedIn (or in this blog).
Why did I post on LinkedIn? Not because I wanted to fix this. Because if I had wanted to, I would have called the hotel, or sent a 'complaint'. No, it's more of a question for us as CX professionals. What do you do with these special days? Especially in the leisure industry. Was I expecting too much as a guest? I made this post to share, learn, and get the conversation going.
We are on a campsite, in a cottage. And that's not just any campsite, but one that is hip and therefore sells out quickly. The booking took place in November last year, with the idea that I would be abroad for the entire month of June for wonderful speaking assignments and CX masterclasses. But yes... Suddenly, there was corona. And just 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 campsite was recommended by many: maybe a bit big, but super cool. Close to the beach, against the dunes. Lots of play options for children with sand and water. The reviews were almost too positive. I have to be honest: I get skeptical. I first want to see with my own eyes whether the promises are kept. And what about the customer experience? I want to experience that myself.
So. Off we went. The first week of the construction holiday. The busiest week of the high season in 2020. I first had to see how this campsite was going to live up to that great customer experience.
We were received perfectly. Fast, 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 a private veranda and such a beautiful tent canvas as a canopy. We were stunned.
The first bottle of wine opened, the little one left for a playground with lots of sand and we were royally in relax mode. First go through the booklet, with map and tips, including activity planning.
In the days that followed, 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 small wishes were fulfilled. For example, I had forgotten 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 am no longer able to be just a 'guest'. Immediately, my professional deformation rears its head. How is this arranged? What processes and agreements are made with the staff? I couldn't contain my curiosity and asked Daan. He immediately explained their concept. How they, together with all the staff, colour in the last page of the brochure. The page that you can't describe, but that you have to experience.
How wow is that? Not only coming up with it, but also making it happen in the middle of the high season. With processes, agreements and above all: in concrete behaviour. They packed me as a customer. Spoiled with a very nice holiday customer experience. Chapeau campsite. Chapeau staff. We have already booked for 2021.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on September 22, 2020
What do you think? A yes or a no? I'm curious. But before I spread my opinion, I'll take you through an experiment.
Set. You wake up and be happy. You jump out of bed fresh and fruity. Because you're looking forward to it. You get to work full of passion. You walk into the kitchen of the McDonalds, greet your colleagues and start (after washing your hands; of course!) with an order for a BigMac. What are you doing?
You've done this so many times that you don't have to look at the picture of this hamburger anymore. But you know exactly what the build-up is like. Bun, sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, two burgers, a slice of cheese and more sauce (for the real connoisseurs, I hope I got it right). So you build the hamburger as it should be, put it in the box and hopsa; ready to be eaten.
Or
Today you're going out of the box. You've heard something from your manager about autonomy and you're going to make this burger even tastier. A little more sauce, a little less meat. Because yes, that's not good for the environment. Maybe three slices of tomato is a good idea. Just put your passion into it and Klara is ready. Hamburger in the box and hopsa; ready to be eaten.
What do you do: 1 or 2? I hope scenario 1, because that's exactly what the customer expects. Hopefully, the hamburger will be handed over to the customer with a big smile and it will also be in order in terms of customer service.
Because that's what the customer is all about. About the customer expecting and receiving a product or service in a certain degree of consistency. That requires frameworks. What are the requirements for consistency for your company? Is this a certain speed, quality, tone-of-voice, or structure of the burger? Yes, of course you can give just that little bit more, in terms of service or a little extra. But the basis is that hamburger, that product.
So, no. Putting the customer first does not belong to all of us. The customer's foundation is the responsibility of those people who design the foundation. That could be the customer experience team. Or, for example, marketing, or the customer contact center. They set up frameworks that you can and want to adhere to. And if you know how to give that little bit extra as an employee... That smile. That service. That brilliant BigMac. That real customer contact. Then you've made it. And the customer is central. You can be very proud of that.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on October 16, 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 14:34:58Putting the customer first 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. Wild boar.
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 is 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. Oh 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 is twice a week. And that is 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 Bloem2019-07-16 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. Excuse me? 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 went 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, whom 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 marketers 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 traveler) 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 marketers, 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 extras, 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 into 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 envision 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 named 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 toward 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 reconcile 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 into 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 ma'am, would you like to fly to the Netherlands with us?" A big smile on his face betrays that he is having fun. His female colleague behind him, looks with a straight face at a point somewhere 20 centimeters above my head and ignores my "Good morning this morning. As I look for my seat - 2F - I see a third flight attendant who is especially busy organizing luggage. Because as travelers, we have little knowledge of that, says her facial expression.
Before takeoff, we get the explanation of the safety procedure. Smiling, I see the happy jerk two rows in front of me. He performs his routine, with great energy and eye contact with the various passengers. From seat belts to life jackets, they can't get him out of his good mood today. Behind him, the flight purser is repeating her routine. She sighs, but this grumpy chestnut is clearly not in the mood.
We fly away and soon it is time for snacks and drinks. On this airline, you pay for your food and drinks and suddenly I realize that my wallet is in the luggage rack above my head. Still, I want a noodle soup (guilty pleasure, I admit). The happy jerk takes the order, says this is also one of his favorites, and instructs the grumpy chestnut to make a "noodle soup for the pretty lady on 2F. I then confess that my wallet is still above me. "No problem ma'am, that can happen to the best of us," he says enthusiastically. The gruff chestnut sighs audibly and turns to the kitchenette to make my noodle soup. My backpack comes out, he makes another joke that pink is also his favorite color and all the rows are laughing along meanwhile.
What fun this man has in his work, truly amazing. I'm sure this is the second flight of his working day and he got out of bed more than early. Just like the grumpy chestnut, by the way, who really doesn't feel like it by now. She has forgotten about the noodle soup, and when I ask for it she just barely snarls back.
Two months and four flights with other airlines later, I still remember that one flight, with the puffing purser and the contagious energy of the cheerful steward. That happy jerk who made everyone and therefore me feel good. Thank you and I hope to fly with you again soon.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on March 28, 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 in 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
