I am confused. Every day brands and marketers are spending millions trying to get you to use, keep using, and share that you love their brands. But why aren’t they doing everything they can, and using some of those millions to do it (probably way less that they are spending on those marketing campaigns), making experiences with their brand remarkable. Opportunities to do this are given to brands each and every day and they simply, turn their heads, rave about their latest and great “campaign’ as if it were a military conquest, and pass up ways to really create customers for life.
I have been meaning to write this post for a while, and then today my friend, and brilliant marketing creative Bryan Kramer founder of PureMatter, mentioned via Facebook a “remarkable” experience he just had with Hertz and it got me fired up again.
In my opinion, the best example of these missed opportunities are Hotels. People leave things in their rooms all the time. The hotels know everything there is to know about most of us, especially those of us who travel frequently and are their potential best customers. Also we are business people who have influence upon where others stay when they travel either as influencers with our companies as executives, or since we come in to contact with so many and can so easily share great experiences, not only via our now easy to access social networks, but face-to-face each and every day.
Why do they rarely, if ever, reach out and tell us we left something, and then even better, send it to us free of charge. Hotels wait for you to call, then leave you on hold forever while they look, then most often they tell you they have it and you can come get it next time you are in town. If you are lucky they will take your FedEx # and ship to you. When I recently asked the GM of a major International Hotel about this, while discussing with him how to build advocacy, he said this is an old legacy policy from when hotels were afraid to call the homes of male traveler’s who’s wives may or may not have known they were at the hotel. This has to be a policy that became irrelevant at least over 20 years ago. Every hotel now has direct email addresses, loyalty program info, mobile phones, etc. This is absolutely the BEST way to create loyalty, sharing, good-will and advocacy I can imagine. How happy would any traveler be getting this call and the hotel then shipping it at their cost? Talk about a shareable moment, talk about the utter joy of getting that message, talk about empowering their social graph to whoop it up. And it is SO easy. I have suggested this to any number of hotels and I still do not know one major Hotel chain that has acted on it… not even Ritz Carlton.
There are opportunities like this for most major brands to be “remarkable” every day, and create the Return on Relationship that enhances ROI.
Brands need to attract customers, but breaking through the clutter is challenging. Standout by “Liking” them before they “Like” you.
Wonderful note on hotels Ted. I am on the road quite a bit; flying into Bangkok tomorrow. The place we always hit in Bangkok provides sensational service; everybody is friendly and if we forgot something I am certain they would chase us down or sent it our way.
Thanks for the input Ryan. Safe travels my friend!
Hi Ted, that’s a great RonR true story. The best technology (and marketing) systems are invisible. They are in place and kick in to rise up to the occasion. Bryan’s happy lost n found iPad experience made him a Hertz fan for life. That the brand did and cared enough to keep him informed and “be with him” at a critical time, says a lot about their customer care. In the end, It is all about CX. True RonR – Return on Relationship. Thanks for sharing, Ted. And Cheers Bryan –> iHappyChappy 🙂
Yes indeed Amar.
Earlier today a friend and I were discussing the concept of ‘remarkable brands’ and she shared this personal story with me. I thought you would enjoy hearing it: “When I was 13”,she said, “I walked into Bergdorf Goodman’s to buy my first make up. When I reached the cosmetics department, the professional at the Channel counter greeted me warmly and offered to show me how to select and apply the cosmetics she represented. She spent a lot of time with me, and once we were finished, I bought a few items and left the store.” My friend then smiled and said, “Sixty years later, I still only wear Channel.” True Story. (ROR)