You are probably familiar with the saying “people won’t remember what you say, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”
As more and more people connect and interact with your brand, it becomes even more important to ensure a seamless customer experience. Do you make it easy for your customers to reach you if they are having issues? How do you address your customer’s needs? Are your employees equipped with what they need to deliver an excellent customer experience? Will your employees go above and beyond what is expected to solve your customers’ problems? It’s not easy crafting an excellent customer experience, but when you do it right you can cultivate an army of loyal customers.
The “personal touch” is what everyone wants to be recognized as an individual no matter what they are seeking. When you take the time to recognize your customers on a personal level or go out of your way to make sure you accommodate their needs, this makes a huge impact on the customer experience. Not just on the customer you are working directly with, but also to anyone who witnesses you “going the extra mile”. Like a moth to a flame, excellent customer service will help to attract potential customers who want to get the same feeling and confidence that your happy customers get.
We have three great examples of companies that have went above and beyond in providing superior customer service:
Zappos
Zappos is an online shoe and company store that is famous for the excellent customer service it provides. One story in a recent Forbes article outlines the story of a newly-married couple who was in the midst of packing their belongings to prepare for a big move. The husband had packed his wife’s jewelry inside one of her purses and packed the purse inside a Zappos box. In a classic mix-up scenario, his wife returned that very purse to Zappos using the same box! When they realize what happened, they frantically called Zappos to try and locate their package. The rep she received had decided to reroute the box directly to his desk, but once it arrived, the rep feared for the safety of the valuables if he were to ship them. In true Zappos fashion where their motto is to deliver “Wow!” customer service, the agent purchased a plane ticket to hand-deliver the package himself. Now, that is a case of going the extra mile– literally!
Chick Fil-A
One of the biggest food franchises demonstrated an act of kindness when the opportunity arose: a homeless gentleman entered the Chick-Fil-A in Tennessee asking the manager for scraps or any extra food. The manager told the man he would love to give him a hot meal but with one condition: he would need to pray with him. This action was witnessed by many customers and it went viral, receiving over 55,000 shares on Facebook. In a world where this homeless man usually would be shunned and avoided by many, this manager welcomed the homeless man regardless of his situation. It showed that Chick-Fil-A treats all people (not just their customers) with compassion and respect.
Ritz Carlton
Going the extra mile is more than just recognizing the customer’s need. It involves making an extraordinary effort to meet the customer’s need. Ritz-Carlton is a company that is known for empowering their employees with the ability to “go the extra mile” for their customers when possible. This undoubtedly makes a a big difference in the service people receive. They’re known first for the story of the “Joshie the Giraffe” where a little boy and his family stayed at the franchise and left behind a cherished toy, Joshie the Giraffe. The little boy had never been without him and was upset over losing him. That very night the Ritz-Carlton had discovered Joshie the Giraffe was left behind and immediately contacted the little boy’s parents. To help ease the little boy’s sadness, Ritz-Carlton took a picture of Joshie the Giraffe by the pool and sent it to the little boy so he could see his old pal was doing okay. Next, they shipped it to him in the mail along with a Frisbee and other toys.
But that wasn’t the only time Ritz-Carlton put its “going the extra mile” hospitality approach into practice. Recently, their Bali location was in the news regarding a story of the family who had a child with allergies and had to use special eggs and milk. Unfortunately, upon arrival the eggs had broken and the milk was spoiled. The manager had the staff go through the whole town to try and find the eggs but none were available. The Executive Chef knew where to get them in Singapore (hundreds of miles away) and made the arrangements to obtain the special eggs. He had no obligation to do so but wanted to provide the family with an excellent customer experience nonetheless.
At CHCG we have witnessed firsthand how going the extra mile can make a difference for our clients and their customers. We specialize in evaluating omni-channel BPOs and contact centers spanning several industries and providing an actionable roadmap that improves the customer experience, cost efficiencies, and profit. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly for a free consultation to see what CHCG can do for you.
