It was an ordinary day, fetching groceries after work with my 9-year old daughter, when I got to the checkout at our local Woolworths supermarket to be greeted by – let’s call him “Sam”. Sam, I’m guessing, was in his late teens, maybe twenty tops. “Hello”, he said, giving me genuine eye contact and a beaming smile. I was instantly surprised, pleasantly so. He immediately asked me how my day had been, and then, to my even greater surprise, started to converse with my daughter! “How has your day been? How was school?” to which my daughter was only too willing to give him an answer or two.
As we got to the end of the transaction, he looked right at me again and said, “Thanks so much for shopping here”. Boom! I was surprised, grateful, and my happy hormones went through the roof. That’s how customer service won me over at Woolworths. Here’s why…
"..companies need to create an amazing customer experience. Customers no longer only compare companies to their competitors. They compare with the best companies and brands across industries."
As a marketer, it’s easy to get caught up in the world of advertising and forget about the importance of customer service. But great customer service is an essential component of any successful marketing strategy, because it leads to customer satisfaction, which (hopefully) leads to customer loyalty and brand advocacy. In their HBR article “10 Ways to Boost Customer Satisfaction”, G. Tomas M. Hult and Forrest V. Morgeson emphasise that, “..companies need to create an amazing customer experience. Customers no longer only compare companies to their competitors. They compare with the best companies and brands across industries.”
Does exhibiting gratitude in its most simple and human way seem too easy?
In an age where we have more options than ever to try to attract and retain customers, exhibiting gratitude in its most simple and human way (at the checkout) seems too easy. But the human, emotional effects will be felt (as mine were) long after the event.
Ivan Wickstead, a renowned CMO for brands like, Coca-Cola, Converse, Old Navy, and FNDR, has said,
“It’s the emotional connections that a brand makes; the emotional memories, the emotional triggers that you spark that last the longest and go the deepest. It’s not the rational ones.”
Exceptional service can differentiate your brand from competitors
Providing exceptional service can differentiate your brand from competitors, making it more appealing to customers in a competitive market. This can lead to powerful word-of-mouth marketing, where customers share their positive experiences with friends and family. I’m telling you aren’t I?
In addition, great customer service can increase customer loyalty, leading to lifelong advocates for your brand. When customers feel that a brand truly cares about their needs and concerns, they’re more likely to make repeat purchases over time, which increases customer lifetime value and benefits your brand’s financial health.
Lastly, customer service can provide valuable feedback, allowing you to learn more about your customers’ needs and preferences. By listening to your customers and making changes based on their feedback, you can improve the customer experience and build even stronger relationships with your audience.
Customer service could be just the competitive edge you need for success
In short, customer service is a crucial component of any successful marketing strategy. By prioritising exceptional service, you can differentiate your brand from competitors, increase customer loyalty, and improve the customer experience. I don’t know whether Sam had been trained well or whether he was a genuinely friendly and polite person. Either way, it was a customer win, and therefore a brand win too.
So don’t forget to make customer service a focussed part of your marketing strategy – it could be the key to your success.