By now, most the social web and even mainstream media have read the story about Southwest Airlines and filmmaker Kevin Smith, removing him from a flight because he was ‘too fat’ and a safety concern. Let me state this from the get go, I realize that SWA was in the wrong with their actions and don’t agree with what they did.
Discounts! Coupons! X% off! We all love a sweet deal. I mean, who doesn’t want an incentive to purchase a product or service? It’s what persuades our behaviors as consumers to pick one brand over another – and unless we have a sacred affinity to a specific brand & their products {Apple Macs/iPods or Nike shoes} we’re typically swayed by these offerings.
What got me thinking is the social web and how we, as consumers, respond to brands that are utilizing these platforms to build a community but to also attract new customers. Razorfish recently conducted a study on this, stating that special offers drive engagement in social media. Some interesting takeaways: (more…)
One of the more interesting posts I read today was from David Spinks and the debate of why 9-5 should be eliminated. It took on the idea that the 9-5 should be set aside for the sake of personal lives/lifestyles, work preferences, and getting-things-done how the employee feels comfortable. (more…)
I’m sitting here at Panera Bread, my usual work-shifting spot, doing some Saturday afternoon work. My experience here is always a pleasant one – relaxing environment and nice employees (free Wi-Fi doesn’t hurt either.) But my time here today was a little different, as I sat next to a new-employee class that Panera was hosting for a handful of newbies.
They’ve been talking about the company’s history, the bread, and the passion that has gone into this business for over 20 years. What stuck out to me, as I overheard/eavesdropped/call-it-what-you-want on their training, was what the class ‘leader’ said:
We build trust through our relationships with our customers and our community.
I found it inspiring to hear a brick & mortar business, let alone a restaurant/bakery, put such precedence on this statement. Why did I find such surprise in it? One – we unfortunately don’t see such a passionate offline business with equally as passionate employees, as we do with Panera. Two – we seemingly correlate trust, relationships and community specifically with the online space.
Is the offline space that much more different than online when building trust and a passionate community? Trusting relationships are around us in our everyday lives with our family and friends, but why does it seem that when it comes to business, it’s more easily conceived online than when face-to-face with your customers?
In my opinion, business cultures have gone off base to a point where connecting with their customers as more than just a $ sign is out of the realm of possibility – and that’s where it has to start, culture. Panera has been in business since 1987 and from what I’ve seen in my dozens of visits and now with this new-employee class, they’ve instilled such a culture and passion within the business itself that it’s what every employee seemingly lives & breathes.
Kudos to Panera, but what can other brick & mortar businesses do to instill this sort of culture and to gain their customers’ trust? Do you have an experience like mine that you’d like to add?
This morning’s brand brouhaha, if you haven’t seen it already, revolves around United Airlines and a musician’s scorn. The full story resides on Dave Carroll’s site but the gist is that United Airlines damaged his $3,500 guitar, as luggage handlers tossed it around. Nine months past and numerous phone calls and emails later, there was no resolution and Dave’s claim for his guitar was denied. What takes the cake though is Dave’s response. He’s a musician and it was only right for him to write a song about it but better yet, create a music video:
I normally don’t talk about apps and other toys that we all play with on a daily basis, but I couldn’t resist not talking about Sirius XM’s recently released iPhone app. The anticipated release of their app has certainly dissipated as iPhoners and subscribers are realizing that though it’s a free app, there is an additional $3/month fee to access their ‘premium’ online radio content.
Wait, what?
For those, like myself, who already subscribe to their service, we’re scratching our heads as to why Sirius XM is actually making customers who want to use the iPhone app pay an additional fee on top of their monthly costs. In my eyes, they totally missed the mark – not only with their pricing strategy but also in respect to their customers. Don’t take my word for it, take a look at the 2-stars given by 35,752 ratings and some of the 3,936 customer reviews: (more…)
Businesses have specific goals set (we hope) and daily practices to achieve them. They’ve built and taught a company culture that’s embedded into their employee’s heads. Their sales process, customer service, and marketing/communications have each been built around, well, the company. But what happened to molding your brand around your customers and their experience? What happened to the thinking of (as cliché as it may sound), customer first?
What got me thinking is the social web and how we, as consumers, respond to brands that are utilizing these platforms to build a community but to also attract new customers. Razorfish recently conducted a study on this, stating that special offers drive engagement in social media. Some interesting takeaways: (more…)
