Customer service isn’t all about smiling and being nice. It’s more than that. It’s about going that extra step. Put simply, it’s about being genuine and thoughtful.

When I was on the bus this morning I witnessed the bus driver waiting for an old man to sit down before he drove away. By just waiting an extra few seconds he showed care and respect for his customers. Compare this to what I have experienced many times before where the driver rushes off seemingly more concerned about his schedule than the safety of his passengers.

HOW YOUR STAFF BEHAVE IS A DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF YOUR BRAND.
This morning I was walking to daycare with my daughter in her stroller. As I was about to walk across the pedestrian crossing a  van came down the hill and stopped (like any decent driver should). I waved as I always do to say thank you to the driver for stopping. How he then reacted on the grand scale of things was nothing much, he just nodded his head and waved his hand in acknowledgment; but it made a personal connection between him and me. It wasn’t until the truck pulled away that I saw the BC Hydro logo on the back of the vehicle. Instantly that warm fuzzy feeling I was having was transferred over to their company. This then led me to think that they must do a great job in hiring and training decent people with manners and respect. Again, this transfers more positively to their brand. All of this brand value from a simple head nod and wave of a hand.

The opposite of this example can also leave a brand message but in a negative way. Ever been cut off while driving by a branded corporate car or truck? Or has a driver of such a vehicle ever given you a hand gesture that utilizes just one finger? It boils your blood, and has you relate to that company in a way that is less than positive. You then tell all your friends and colleges about your experience creating even more negative brand association.

Another example was the two cashiers in my local supermarket who talked about how strange and peculiar their previous customer was. They were right, he was a little bizarre, but never talk bad about anyone while you are in front of customers. It left me wondering what they were going to say about me behind my back once I had left the shop. It left me distrusting them, being cautious about what I said and did in front of them.This is not a great way for your customers to relate to your staff and your brand. If you are an employee be conscious that all your actions do leave an impression. Make that extra effort to make it a positive one. If you’re an employer, expect the best from your staff; train them in how to be amazing brand ambassadors and treat them well so they care to make that extra effort.

FROM NEGATIVITY TO DELIGHT
If someone has a negative experience of your brand you have a lot of extra work to do to reverse that experience. If it’s an ongoing complaint from a wider user group you may have to take a look at the bigger picture and make some fundamental changes to your business.

A good example of this is my recent experience with Apple. I downloaded two rental movies from Apple for the first time and when I transferred them over to my iPhone to watch at a later date only one worked.
I wanted to email Apple but remembered how difficult it had been in the past to find an email address on their site. They (like many companies) would rather drive you to A FAQ to see if you can solve it by yourself. This time though it was relatively easy to find their email address which was very refreshing.

I explained my situation and sent off my email not really expecting to hear back from them for several days, if at all. In retrospect this is quite sad that I have experienced such poor service from them in the past that I would be resigned and not expect them to reply. Is this something you would want associated with your brand?

What followed was a refreshing surprise and it really impressed me (and believe me, it takes a lot to impress me). Apple has obviously as a company-wide initiative addressed their customer service problems and have made the interactions personable and easy.

I got the automated response from Apple saying someone will look into this straight away. Within nine hours I had a reply in my inbox from a real person with a real name, one that wasn’t called ‘customer service’. That in itself impressed me. I continued to be delighted as I read the rest of the email. Here is that email with my comments (in Italics) about why their email is so successful:

Dear Matt,

Greetings from iTunes Store Support. My name is Lalchand. (By using first names it set a personal tone and creates a personal connection)

I understand that the movie “Town” that you rented is missing. I can certainly imagine how a situation like this could be disappointing. I can imagine you must be eager to get this taken care of. I am happy to assist. (The best way to defuse any angry person is to ‘recreate’ the situation, letting the person know that you fully understand what happened and that you can relate to how they are feeling).

Matt, I have posted a fresh copy of the movie to your account, please follow these steps to download the items: (Without further ado, they resolved the problem by reposting the movie).

Please reply to this email if you have not received the fresh copy and I will be glad to assist you. (Setting the expectation that they will continue to support me if I still need it is comforting. Also having his personal email address and not a generic customer service contact where you have to explain the same situation all over again to a stranger not familiar with the situation – is great).

Matt, I hope this helps to resolve this for you.  If you have any questions or require further assistance, just reply to the email and let me know. (This extends the hand of support again if I need it and by using my name it suggests that this isn’t a ‘cut and paste’ email).

Thank you for being a valued iTunes Store customer. Have a great day ahead! (An acknowledgment that I am valued makes me feel fuzzy and warm, and after all the content above in this email this type of statement comes across as genuine and not marketing rhetoric).

Sincerely,
Lalchand. iTunes Store Customer Support

Please note: I work from Sunday, Monday, Wednesday- Friday, 11 AM-8 PM CST (This is brilliant, by informing me when he works it is preventing me sending him an email on say Monday night and being frustrated because I didn’t hear back from him on Tuesday).

WHAT YOU CAN DO
The best customer service isn’t complicated, it just takes a little extra thinking and effort from a committed team of staff. Every person (including yourself) that works for your company is an ambassador for your brand. Where can you improve your companies customer service and take it to the next level? What can you do to go beyond your client’s expectations to leave them delighted and eager to share with their community how great a company you are?

Your corporate message consists of who you are, what you are selling and what differentiates you from your competitors. It is communicated to your target audience, the people who are going to purchase your product or service via many different avenues. They include your company name, your tagline, website, verbally in person, advertising and signage – to mention just a few.

Is your company communicating the right message, to the right audience in the right way that will assist in closing the sale? You may be asking your self “is what I am saying too much, too little or even the right kind of language for my audience to understand”?

To best answer these questions I am going to show a few examples that will hopefully help in answering your questions or may spark new questions that will lead to a clearer and more effective corporate message for your company.

There is nothing wrong on first look at this following sign for a wholesaler of fresh and frozen poultry, meat and seafood.

When I first saw this sign I was excited, it was local to where I lived and the thought of buying wholesale appealed to me. Then I read the rest of the sign. Suddenly I was not too enthused.

The fact they also make dog food put the quality of the meat into question and was an instant turn off (although I was excited about photographing it for this article).

Joking aside, there is nothing wrong with this sign if it communicates effectively to their target audience. I am obviously not their target audience.

It is unrealistic to think that your corporate message will resonate with everyone, it will not. Focus your time and efforts on having it communicate effectively with your target audience.

Once you have defined who your audience is, create a user profile of them. Are they male or female, age, sexual preference, nationality, income bracket, education, what do they do in their spare time, what do they wear, what vehicle do they drive, are they married, have kids or have pets. The best way to understand your target audience is to talk with them. Find out what type of language (verbal and pictorial) communicates effectively to them.

Unless you are a very skilled communicator and writer, hire a professional to help you sculpt the right messaging. I believe the person who created the ‘Ass Fruit’ sign at the top of this article could have used some professional assistance. I am quite confident that they are not actually selling Ass Fruit (even though it seems like a good bargain at only a dollar per bag) and that even the clientele of this Asian grocery store wouldn’t buy this product… although I may be wrong.

This following sign successfully communicates it’s message effectively. It is for an electricity company, and they are warning you not to enter the designated area.

It doesn’t get much clearer than that. But, what if you don’t read English? The company accompanied the wording with an image that clearly communicates the message to all non-English readers and even accentuates the message to those who understood the written message.

In summary, they are saying – Don’t. It will hurt. A lot.

As we live in a fast paced society you only have a few seconds to impress someone. As your company name is often the first point of contact you want it to impress right off the start.

It is similar to being in a book shop and looking at all the book covers, wondering which one to purchase. Does the title grab you, does the image entice you and is the author someone you have previously heard of? These are all hooks to have the ‘potential’ buyer turn the book over to read more about the book, before committing to buy or to move onto the next book.

This is why it is critical to have a company name that is aligned with your corporate message. If you are going to open a restaurant you wouldn’t want a name that is off putting. Like this one:

Would you like your food to have a lingering flavor in your mouth (I wonder if they charge a premium for this)?

Your message has to be truthful and honest. If you are claiming that you have the best, fastest, cheapest widget in the world you better deliver. Because if you don’t people are unlikely to be a return customer. Additionally, they are likely to communicate their disappointment with friends, family and colleges, spreading a negative brand association with your company. This alone can cripple a company.

The following company is promising in it’s name that it sells the ‘best’ pizza. Firstly, would you eat there and secondly, do you really think it would be the best pizza of your life?

There is a lot of work that has to be undertaken in creating the right corporate message. Also, once you have perfected it, the market may shift and you may have to adapt your message and your whole communication platform. But where do you start?

My suggestion is to consider the following questions:

• Who are you and what is your story?
• What are you selling?
• Who are you selling it to?
• Why should they care?
• Who is your competition?
• How do they communicate about their product or services?
• What differentiates you from your competition?

From your research and answers start to think about your corporate messaging. Hire a professional branding and communication company to help you get it right. There will obviously be an expense for this. But, if it can prevent your ass fruit from having a lingering flavour, then it may be the best investment your business will ever make.

I thought of this again when I went to my new chiropractors the other day and they had a painting for sale above the toilet. The bathroom had obviously been recently visited as it didn’t smell nice at all. This smell of crap was instantly associated with the painting, I was now viewing it through a hazed lens (quite literally). The painting was not that bad but when I looked at the price I was shocked at how expensive it was. If this painting was hung in the nicely presented reception I guarantee the price would have seemed a lot more reasonable.

In short, give careful consideration to how your brand is presented, where it’s presented and by whom it is being presented by.

Ensuring that every contact point for your company delivers the same consistent message can be a lot of work. But that extra effort can contribute to a very successful brand experience.

I was heading home today and grabbed an umbrella from work, it was new and I hadn’t had the pleasure of using it before. It was branded with the HSBC logo. I was impressed by the handle. It was not your usual basic crappy handle. It was sturdy and ergonomically shaped. It got me thinking about how even a small item like an umbrella is an important extension of your brand. As the umbrella was a quality and sturdy product that seemed like it could be trusted to protect me on a windy stormy night, these qualities were transferred to how I related to HSBC as a company. As a bank, being known as trust worthy, reliable and confident are great attributes.

In essence, be considerate about how your different customer contact points reflect your company. Sometimes it pays not to buy the cheapest.

Brand, customer retention, business development, profit, sustainability, these long-term, big-picture elements of a company can each be built or toppled by day-to-day customer service. Designers can develop a brilliant look for you, marketing strategists can launch brilliant campaigns, and really really smart people can develop fantastically impressive business models, products and service offerings, but if the person on the front line – the person who deals with your customers – drops the ball, he or she can turn a loyal customer into a business-busting, bad-mouthing machine in no time at all. Allow me to illustrate with some stories that I think we can all relate to.

The other day I was at Costco. Eager for my requisite Costco pizza slice, I withdrew $40 from the ATM and lined up at the food court. As I approached the cash register, I put a $20 on the counter and put the other $20 in my wallet. The cashier didn’t seem to notice me. She was busy counting the previous customer’s change. As she scooped up the pile coins and put them into the till, she also scooped up my $20 bill. A moment later, when she asked me for $3 for my order, I explained how she had already taken my money. That’s when she called the supervisor .

Her inclination to report the “incident” made me slightly uncomfortable, but since I was in the right I really just had to stand there and wait to be vindicated by the supervisor. Then I heard the cashier say, “If what the customer is saying is true…”  I quickly interjected, “What I am saying is true.” I’m no thief!

Then the supervisor asked for my Costco ID, “For the record.”

By that point I was frustrated, and a little paranoid about the whole Costco ID thing. Was I going to be black listed? I started to flash back to the last time I had to talk to the police. I sounded so guilty, I hadn’t done anything wrong then either but I might as well have. I even started to doubt my self. Was I going crazy? Did I really give her the $20 bill? I had to check my wallet to make sure there was only one $20 bill in there and not two. Of course there weren’t two. I watched her scoop up the $20. It was right there in her till.

Even though I got my order and finally my change from the $20, I was frustrated.

Had I left right then, I would have been angry and I probably would have complained to anyone who would  listen for the rest of the day. Instead, I decided to change the direction of things. I decided to talk to their manager.

I explained that I’d had a negative interaction with two of the customer service staff. On some level, I sincerely hoped they could learn and grow from our experience, and on another level I really just wanted him to know I was… unhappy with the service I received.

I explained what happened and said that in my opinion the cashier who served me need not have rushed so much, though I understood that it was busy,. I said that her comment about “if what the customer is saying is true…” was way out of line and that it made it seem as though Costco’s policy was “the customer is guilty until proven otherwise”. I also suggested it would have made a difference if the supervisor had explained in detail why he wanted my Costco ID.

The manager was great. He listened. He didn’t make any excuses. He thanked me for the feedback and genuinely apologized . As a result, he sent me on my way feeling I had been heard and feeling a lot less frustrated.

The moral of the story is that you can spend years building a strong brand for your company and it can be demolished within seconds if your customers experience bad service from your staff. On the flip side, an apologetic and authentic manager can do wonders to restore brand loyalty (if a customer gives them the opportunity).

Ultimately, it is up to you to hire well and to train your staff to provide the kind of customer service your brand, your business and your customers demand. Inspire your team to want to deliver good customer service (even if they are having a bad day) and manage people to ensure that they deliver the required customer experience consistently.

Train your managers to listen, to be genuine about the customer’s concerns and to always work to relieve their concerns. Managers should NEVER make excuses for their staff. Frustrated customers don’t want or need to hear excuses and ultimately managers should know that they are there to defend and maintain the brand, not the poorly performing customer service staff.

Often, people don’t need to hear much more than “I’m sorry that you had that experience, we will rectify that situation immediately, and thank you for taking the time to give us the feedback. It takes commitment on your part and we appreciate that”.  The old phrase ‘A little goes a long way’ is very appropriate when it comes to customer service, and brand integrity.

Of course, if the situation deserves it, managers could offer a gift card or some other type of compensation to a customer who has received poor service. It is amazing how quickly a small gesture can rebuild a customer’s loyalty. And if you are able to obtain the customer’s address, send them a follow up letter thanking them for their time, and update them on any changes you have made based on their feedback.

Customer service has never been more important than in today’s tight economic times. Businesses are fighting to keep customers loyal. At the same time, the amount of people looking for jobs has increased substantially. Teens are competing with 50-somethings, so take the opportunity to hire the people who are going to best represent your brand to your customers. Manage them well. And train your managers to respond appropriately when your customers tell them what they think you are doing right, and what you could do better.

Now, allow me to tell you a little story about exceptional customer service to highlight the role you can play as a customer to build better businesses. A few months ago I was shopping at Save On Foods and was served by a delightful lady who was probably in her early 50’s. I had my bicycle with me and she enquired into my day and my ride. It was not the usual generic “how are you” that we tend to revert to in Northern America. It was a genuine conversation. We joked, laughed and connected. It was refreshing.

My personal commitment is to  ‘report’ great customer service to managers too. I enjoy seeing the manager’s face when they realize that you are there about a compliment, not a complaint.

In this case, I happily reported that I had received great service from Maggie and that the customer service initiatives they have in place for their staff were clearly working well. As customers, one of the most effective ways that we can demand excellent service, and get more of what we want from a company, is to praise them when they get things right.

As business people and as customers, I believe it is time we take a stand and demand better customer service. Let’s report poor service and let’s celebrate  great service. Let’s tell our friends and colleagues what we are doing and encourage them to do the same. If we want exceptional or even good customer service it is in our hands as customers, as managers, as business owners and as employees to demand this and to be proactive in making it happen.

At the end of the day, customer service is relatively simple, be genuine, be polite, and go beyond the expectation of the customer.

Let’s strive for a community where a $20 bill never disappears again, and where brands everywhere are safe from the destructive forces of disgruntled ex-customers and ex-employees.

As humans we need consistency, we crave it, our lives would spin out of control without it.

Imagine going to work and all your files on your computer are not in the same folders that they were yesterday. You would probably freeze, panic, freak out some more, then call I.T with a look of desperation and hope on your face.

Or, what if suddenly your favourite friendly coffee barista is suddenly rude and short with you, it could leave you confused and probably frustrated or angry.

Imagine looking at your wage stub and suddenly there is 50% less than last month, It would be very off putting and disturbing – to say the least.

This is why businesses strive and add great importance to delivering a consistent experience for their customers.

Go into any popular high street coffee shop and then visit the same store elsewhere in the country or even the world and you will more likely than not have a very similar (if not identical) branded experience. Before you enter you will recognize the logo and exterior design of the coffee shop, it signifies that this is the right place. You are going to get what you are seeking the way you have come to expect it at the price you are use to paying. As you walk through the door you are welcomed by a familiar looking, and smelling interior and are greeted by a barista wearing a familiar looking uniform. The drink names are the same, the pastries are the same, the merchandise they sell is the same. You know what you want and you get it, time and time again. It is easy, stress free and it leaves you feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

You get the point, consistency is important. In fact, when executed well, it is the critical foundation for a successful and profitable brand.

Customers who have a consistent positive experience of your company will return for more. In fact, they will return time and time again. They will become loyal customers and will bring others with them to purchase your product or service, enrolling them to be part of your ‘brand tribe’. Sounds great, and it is, but there is a downside. Customers today can probably purchase your service or product from your competition (especially with the ease of the Internet). Customers are very loyal until something interrupts their experience and then are very willing to jump ship and give their business to your competition. This adds extreme importance and often pressure for your company to ensure that a positive experience is being delivered consistently time and time again, without fail.

And don’t forget about your staff. Brands are built as well as destroyed at the employee level. It pays to keep them, and to keep them happy. Staff retention is very important. A company can spend a lot of money rehiring and retraining a consistent flow of new employees – which can also effect workflow and company moral. Staff, appreciate consistency for all the same reasons as your clients do. Ask your staff what the company can do to enhance their experience as an employee. When people are included they feel like they matter, like they are making a contribution, both will lead to increased loyalty and a happier workforce – which in the end will benefit the bottom line.

Every member of your staff from the janitor to the CEO are equal in the eyes of a successful brand. You could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a successful advertising campaign but if someone experiences poor service from the receptionist or agent over the phone, it can cost you the business and erode your brand equity and reputation.
Where in your business are you not delivering the same branded experience?

Consider how and when a customer comes into contact with your company. These ‘contact’ points are called ‘touchpoints’. Are your customers receiving the same branded experience via every touchpoint. If not, question what needs to change, is it a retraining of a staff member, or maybe ensuring that your logo is used exactly the same on all your corporate and marketing materials.

As your business grows or the business environment around you changes certain touchpoints will no longer deliver the required corporate message and branded experience. Simply re-align it. If you are unsure of what needs to change and how, try asking your customers or staff what would work for them, or hire a communication and design company to assist you in the process.

Below is a list of just a few touchpoint categories that you can to look at (in no particular order). As each company or industry has it’s own unique set of touchpoints, you may want to add to this list.

As an example, how does a ‘speech’ deliver your brand message? It could be a public speech, a business presentation or even a speech to university students. Question every detail of that speech, what different elements could leave people with an experience or a judgment of you and your company. For example, the following will leave people with a certain impression: your clothing (could be too casual or too corporate), how you speak (interesting, boring, or even inappropriate), your PowerPoint presentation (is it designed well or is it consistent with your handouts and other corporate materials) to mention just a few. Put on your detective hat and really inspect every touchpoint.

Once you have obtained consistency across every touchpoint your clients will become loyal brand ambassadors, returning for more and more.

At the end of the day, being consistent is an ongoing endeavor and it takes repetition to get a brand message to stick. Often at the point that you are becoming tired of a campaign or message is when it’s starting to have a real effect with its intended audience. Be patient, loyalty takes time to build.

In summary, be consistent, consistent, consistent. Then be consistent some more.

Some touchpoints for you to explore:
SPEECHES
LOGO
EMPLOYEES
PRESENTATIONS
NETWORKING
WORD OF MOUTH
PUBLIC RELATIONS
CIVIC MARKETING
TRADE SHOWS
DIRECT MAIL
SALES PROMOTION
DIGITAL
NEWSLETTERS
BUSINESS FORMS
SIGNAGE
PACKAGING
EXHIBITS
PROPOSALS
EMAILS
VOICE MAILS / ANSWERING MACHINE / TELEPHONE
PUBLICATIONS
WEB BANNERS
PRODUCTS
ADVERTISING
ENVIRONMENTS / OFFICE SPACE
EXPERIENCES
PHOTOGRAPHY
EVENTS
BIZ OWNERS
LETTERHEADS
BUSINESS CARD
VEHICLES
PHYSICAL WORKING SPACE OF HEAD OFFICE

As a branding designer I have strong opinions about companies ‘cutting corners’ to try and save money at the cost of their brand image.

That being said when I saw that this local dollar store had increased its prices from $1 to $1.25 and had slapped a ‘.25’ sticker on top of their existing signage (see photo above), I thought it was classic. Why? Because it’s aligned with their brand message. People shop there to save money and they followed this to the letter when it came time to update their signage. Classic.

If you are a business owner working on the development and growth of your own company it can be a challenge no matter what industry you are in. This can range from generating more sales, creating or finessing your marketing plan, sourcing manufacturing or creating a new brand for your business. It is your business, your baby, you want to make the right decision and you often question what the right decision or direction is. And, at the end of the day, it’s your bottom line that is affected so you’ll want to make a good decision.

So when Industrial Brand Creative choose to re-brand we knew it was going to be an interesting journey.

There have been challenges–some which we could have predicted and others that came as a surprise. There were also insights into the world of our clients.

Still, we needed to service our clients and run the business and we knew that our re-branding would from time to time be pushed down the priority list. Two years later, it had come to the point where it could not wait any longer. We were still getting great feedback about our website and other promotional materials, but for ourselves the identity we created in 1997 no longer reflected our capabilities and the calibre of work we provide to our clients. It was time to re-brand.

A major advantage was that we knew what we were doing–it’s what we do for our clients with very successful results. We knew all we had to do was to put ourselves through the same branding and design process and we would arrive at the outcome we were looking for.

The first stage was one of Discovery, Analysis, Research, Collaboration and Strategy.

This involved the business owners asking questions that included: Why change? What are we hoping to achieve? How will we know the branding process has been a success? We interviewed clients, staff, vendors and others to discover if what we think about ourselves is the same as what others think of us. Thankfully the results confirmed we were heading in the right direction.

Your brand is aspirational and goal-driven, but as a company you have to bridge the gap between where you are today and your aspirations. Your company has to walk the talk today and everyday. It must look and behave like the kind of company a high calibre client would hire.

The Brand Discovery Session was essential in creating our re-branding process. We dug into every aspect of the company, often facing difficult questions – some which took several months to resolve. We questioned the name of the company, who our target audiences are today and will be in the future, how we will reach them, what our message is and how will it resonate with them. We also looked at how we differentiate ourselves from other design companies and what our core service offering is.

The next phase involved consolidating the knowledge that we’d gleaned from the research and applying it. It involved brainstorming ideas, conceptualizing initial logo concepts, being strategic and making sure everything we did was relevant and aligned with our discoveries during the first phase. It was also during this phase we explored a new tag line. Parting from the old, ‘we’re not wired right’ we wanted something that was honest, concise and gave a better sense of what we are all about. WHERE IDEAS WORK is a statement of not only what goes on within the studio and the people that compose it, but it also says something about the outcomes we deliver.

Business owners can often be too attached to their company to be objective and decisive. The third and final phase saw us starting to whittle down iterations and make final decisions based on the research and strategy from the earlier phases. This foundation made it easier for making clear final decisions.
With the new identity and tagline complete, the next step was to produce all the marketing materials, website and internal documents. At the end of August we rearranged our production schedule for two weeks so the entire Industrial Brand team could focus on doing just this.

We knew from the outset that two weeks was a somewhat optimistic timeframe to complete the myriad of tasks at hand, and in the end it was. But without dedicating that time to the development of our own brand it would probably have continued to get pushed to the bottom of the priority list (below servicing clients). Now we had the momentum we needed to make the final push to completion.

Branding is all-encompassing and there’s a clear distinction between the creation of a new logo versus the formation or re-formation of a brand. Even though we’ve been re-branding for our clients for many years, undertaking our own project has provided us with further insight into client concerns about the process, and the confidence, financial commitment, trust and hard work that is required to create and implement a new brand.

That being said, branding or re-branding is worth it if done well and assuming there’s a sound rationale for it. It will reinvigorate and energize the company, its clients, prospects, staff, vendors and all others associated with it. It’s important to remember that a brand is organic, and grows and changes over time so must be managed. With the successful re-launch of Industrial Brand, we’re excited to watch as people take new notice of our new look and the platform from which we continue to build and grow our business.