The Service Manifesto

 

“Never before in the history of business and marketing has customer service been as front and center as it is today. So much so that it is being transformed and reborn in front of our very eyes as arguably one of the most mission critical components that can make or break a business.

The Manifesto for Customer Service documents this sea change, introduces the 10 new rules of customer service and introduces a key hypothesis, namely that customer service needs to be elevated to the front office; to that of a strategic imperative which becomes a, if not the, key differentiator in the board room and beyond.”

The preceding quote is from the latest “DFS Learning e-Blast” article, “The Service Manifesto”, by Joseph Jaffe.

In this 2010 presentation on the site “Change This”, the author provides “10 New Rules of Customer Service” which focus on today’s international, inter-connected, increasingly virtual, rapidly evolving consumer reality. 

More from the article:

“The rise of social media, social networks and word-of-mouth across a connected, digital and virtual expanse has given us a glimpse into the power and potential of the ability (or inability) to solve problems, address concerns head on, and on occasion, humble a mighty corporate behemoth and bring it to its knees. It all begins with what is perhaps the most important issue business and marketing execs will need to come to terms with in 2010 and beyond: how to create an organization that is mobilized, structured and empowered to be responsive, empathetic, accessible, connected and human in the hearts, minds, and wallets of their most prized assets—their customers and their employees.”

Read the short article to learn more!

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious™ strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

What do you think?  Please add your comments to join the discussion!

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Thoughts on Twitter

DISCUSSION TOPIC

The Enigma That is Twitter – 09-30-2011

September 30, 2011

Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Hanifin Loyalty blog.

Of all the social media communications channels I invest time in, Twitter is the most enigmatic to me.

I use it and find value in posts from both followers and those I follow. At the same time, I encounter quizzical looks from friends who think I am somehow child-like and time-wasting to be spending time writing updates that are always compressed, sometimes cryptic and on occasion in-decipherable.

I’ll admit to a few things:

Twitter presents the constant temptation to become a one-way broadcaster of self-promotional messages. All I can say is resist, resist, resist! In real life, people don’t fall in love with others who talk about themselves constantly. Why should it be any different online?

I don’t always engage in conversations. Because there is such a thing as “real business” to attend to, I can’t sit and watch the stream all day, responding promptly to replies, DM’s (direct messages), and other comments. Thankfully, there are some really great tools to help you manage your social medial channels and I use one of the best, Sprnklr. I do respond to just about everyone, but with timeliness that is often suspect.

I’m not consistent. Social Media muse @TheDudeDean told me long ago to tweet consistently. I do my best, but there are gaps. This week is an example, with cross country air travel and day-long meetings cramping my Twitter style. I acknowledge this but don’t necessarily apologize. We’ve got to have priorities and Twitter should not rule your life.

I read an article this week, which mused that Twitter could be destined to “occupy a niche as addiction to few and irritant to many.” I’m quite comfortable with this reality and take it into account when recommending communication strategies for clients.

It is not mandatory that every customer-facing marketing strategy incorporate Twitter,

Foursquare, or even Facebook. While it is absolutely right for some, others will find it a waste of time and resources.

If your customers are all online, talk to them through that medium. If they are sitting at the kitchen table reading their mail, you better find your way to that venue. Usually it is through a mix of several channels that you can create customer engagement. The big challenge is to identify which ones matter and to prioritize their importance.

To sum it up, there is wisdom in discerning between “everyone is doing it” and “I need to do it.”

Sounds like Twitter material to me!

Discussion questions:  What do you think of Twitter as a business and personal tool? How, if at all, do you use it? Do you see it evolving as a retail communication tool?

My post:

I started using Twitter for the two purposes I continue with today.  One, I post links to my own JAM with Mike twice-weekly email of quotes and accompanying editorial.  Why?  Really because I can, through a simple link on my Constant Contact email server.  Does it do anything?  Probably not, but it is painless so I continue.  Two, I subscribe to several people who post quotes that I find interesting and subsequently use in my writing.  I do not engage in ongoing conversations and see no personal value in bothering my “followers” with inane posts of my random thoughts or mundane activities – nor do I understand those who do.

The good news is that millions do use Twitter to constantly tweet every little thought that occurs to them.  Why is this good news?  There is a burgeoning use of twitter feeds to predict future events, from the price of a stock, to the profitability of a new movie or product, to the outcome of an election.  While not infallible, researchers are finding that like Wikipedia, the Twitterverse tends to separate out facts from fiction with often remarkably accurate predictive value.  There are some really interesting articles about this you can find on Google – or via a Twitter search, of course!

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ™ strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

What do you think?  Please add your comments and add to the discussion!

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Go to the full discussion at Retailwire.com:  The Enigma That is Twitter

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Planet of the Apps

DISCUSSION TOPIC

The Rise of the Planet of the Apps – 09-06-2011

Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is an excerpt from a current article from the Joel Rubinson on Marketing Research blog.

Four years from now, it is likely that globally there will be close to two billion (yes, billion) smart mobile devices, outselling computers, according to Yankee Group estimates.

Nielsen reports that over half of mobile phones being activated now in the U.S. are smartphones. IDC estimates 182 billion (yes, billion) annual app downloads by 2015.

Flurry estimates that smartphone owners spend more time on apps than PC owners spend on the internet from their computers.

Smartphones, tablets and the iPod Touch will create the mobile, app-enabled lifestyle. Why? Because mobile is not like a computer with a small screen; it is transformational. Apps provide needed simplicity for mobile web access by extracting the essence of a service and putting it right in front of the user in a way that fits perfectly within the screen limitations while adding a localized dimension.

If there is any life activity that is crying out to become appified, simplified, localized and mobilized on your smartphone, it is shopping. Furthermore, marketers want it too. Imagine you will be able to deliver messages and offers to a shopper as they stand right in front of your brand and its competitors that are customized from prior purchase activity. This is behavioral targeting and “recency,” two principles of media placement on steroids.

Look at this distribution of time spent on apps by category from Flurry; it appears that shopping aids have not yet taken off.

• Games: 47 percent
• Social: 32 percent
• News: Nine percent
• Entertainment: Seven percent
• Other: Five percent

However, app developers are starting to work on this:

• Modiv has been testing a mobile shopping solution called Scan It with Stop & Shop that is now about to be tested on iPhones. It links offers to your frequent shopper history and knows where you are in the store.
• Ad Age reports Finish Line unveiled a new app that gives shoppers access to real-time inventory at the store nearest them. Users can check to see if an item is available in the style, size and color they’re looking for before coming to the store.
• Amazon offers a price checking app so you can be in a Best Buy or Walmart, check the price of the same item at Amazon and decide if you want to order it from within the app.

Truly it is the “Rise of the Planet of the Apps.” As an increasing majority obtains smart mobility, as smartphones replace PCs as the number one way of accessing the internet, as life becomes app-enabled, people will insist, “Yeah, we want an app for that” — and they’ll get it.

Discussion questions:  How will the growing appeal of apps change the way brands and retailers connect with consumers? How will it change the way consumers interact with brands and retailers?

My post:

The biggest concern I have with app-driven shopping is the reliance on price to drive consumer behavior.  It is as though no one can learn the obvious:  using price as the single differentiator allows only one or two low-cost providers to survive the ensuing carnage.  In this model, Amazon and Wal-Mart will clearly prevail.  Anyone else?  Doubtful.  My hope is for the brands to drive unique app offerings that focus on experience over price.  However, except in the rarified world of luxury products and consumers, it is increasingly difficult to capture the consumer’s attention with anything other than price, and perhaps celebrity.

A reason for hope?  With the increase in influential bloggers, I can foresee a success formula that utilizes targeted ‘endorsements’ to drive consumers to shop at regular price for their favorite influencer’s recommendations.  This works particularly well in the beauty industry.  Let’s see who makes this move vs. the damaging price-only model.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ™ strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

What do you think?  Please add your comments and add to the discussion!

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Go to the full discussion at Retailwire.com:  The Rise of the Planet of the Apps

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Aha moments – a new twist on luxury shopping

DISCUSSION TOPIC

Luxury Site Sees Opportunities in Aha Moments – 07-11-2011

TOPIC SUMMARY:

Austerity, recession, belt-tightening and bargains have become watchwords for retailers and consumers over the past few years. But have they destroyed the joy of shopping? The flash sale website Ahalife.com doesn’t think so and has opened its doors to shoppers who shop for the love of it, unconcerned about bargains or price, but looking for sheer, unadulterated, luxurious pleasure.

Ahalife’s signature sales point is “curation,” recommendations from trusted advisers for wonderful products customers might otherwise struggle to find. Entrepreneur and founder, Shauna Mei, explained to New York Times reporter, Pamela Rickman, that she “offers niche products suggested by a variety of ‘trendsetters and tastemakers.'”

“Tastemakers” are said to include Diane von Furstenberg, Wendi Murdoch, Tina Brown, Tim Gunn and Lauren Bush.

Explaining why Aha differs from women’s magazines, she added, “I haven’t read print for three years and neither have my friends. … There’s a ton of content online, but it’s not curated. We can’t separate the good from the bad.” Ms. Mei’s “aha!” moment has reportedly attracted investors from banks, management consultancies and luxury retailers.

Determined to avoid targeting anyone who might resemble a “frumpy” housewife, Aha’s products are largely imported, targeting big spenders aiming to be trendsetters. Excitement and inspiration to be tempted and spend are part of the deal, along with the actual products.

Like other flash sale sites, Aha features one offer a day from categories such as fashion, food, beauty, accessories, home décor, tech and travel. Aha’s business model is based on consignment buys rather than stockholding, with potential profits coming from a traditional wholesale/retail relationship.

Discussion questions:  Is the joy of shopping enough incentive for a luxury website without any discounts or special offers? Does the value of ‘curated’ selections work as well online as in high-end retail?

My post:

One more interesting paragraph from the nextweb article:

Mei believes AHAlife has the potential to be ‘the future trusted media company with a buy button.’

“If you think about the various publications and magazines out there, most of them have not really explored e-commerce,” she says. “We believe in content + commerce + curation and I think this trend will continue to last in the next five years. I see AHAlife as the go-to destination for brands to launch the coolest lifestyle products from around the world and where the most discerning consumers go to discover the best the world has to offer.”

I think Ms. Mei has truly hit on something special – combining the joy of the hunt, ‘belonging’ to the cool crowd, and desire to be noticed into one very hot shopping social site.  I do think the way she is handling curated selections is unique and exciting and will allow the site to be a key product launch platform and a place “to see and be seen.”  Kudos to Ms. Mei for coming up with something new to excite fashionistas and retailers to expand the boundaries of shopping.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ™ strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

What do you think?  Please add your comments and add to the discussion!

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Go to the full article at Retailwire.com:  Opportunities in Aha Moments

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DISCUSSION TOPIC

Mapping Employee Collaboration – 2/3/09

TOPIC SUMMARY:

A mapping technique, called social-network analysis, is increasingly being used by corporations to understand how their workers communicate with each other. Under the rather simple method, employees are each asked who they turn to for help. A map is then drawn revealing dark patches around employees who work closely with others and lighter areas where there’s little interaction.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, companies are using such mapping techniques to understand weak points in internal networking activities. It also promises to help identify “unheralded stars” as it has been shown that the best collaborators in organizations aren’t discovered in performance reviews.

The article states that collaboration efficiency has become more important as workers are spread across the globe.

Discussion questions:  What are the best ways for managers to encourage employees to collaborate with each other? What do you think of the potential for mapping techniques around social-network analysis for organizations?

My post: 

My experience shows that “mapping” of employee behaviors is extremely limiting in drawing conclusions about employee communication tendencies.  The real issues lie in two areas:

First, a cohesive company vision or lack thereof determines the important behaviors of leaders and therefore impacts employee behaviors.  A scattered vision creates scattered leaders, which creates employees with erratic communication habits.

Second, and more importantly, people are who they are.  If an employee is naturally collaborative, they will create the networks and means to communicate that they need – whether or not the company puts in programs and systems to facilitate that behavior.  Likewise, an employee who is unsocial or quiet will not take advantage of company systems. 

Tools like “social-network analysis” are brilliant sounding products that consultants can sell to companies that lack a cohesive vision and/or fail to hire employees who naturally collaborate.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

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Go to the full discussion at RetailWire.com:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/13525

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Influencing Word-of-Mouth Marketing

DISCUSSION TOPIC:  Friends and Family Seal the Deal

TOPIC SUMMARY:

If you want to influence a consumer’s purchasing decisions, then it’s almost always best to get to their family and friends first. If you can convince family and friends to recommend a product or service, then you’re a long way down the road to making the sale. But how, just exactly, do you get friends and family to make a recommendation? That is the grail that most marketers seek and few find.

According to ZenithOptimedia, word-of-mouth (WOM), specifically those recommendations from family and friends, ranked highest in purchasing influences in the firm’s Touchpoints ROI Tracker study.

Discussion questions:  How do brands that generate positive word-of-mouth and personal references do it? How is it that (any brand you’d like to identify) is able to generate recommendations from family and friends when others do not?

My post:

The only way to generate positive word-of-mouth and personal references is by having a great product/service delivered in a manner that exceeds customer expectations.  Companies cannot manufacture referrals and positive comments.  When they try, it is usually disastrous.  The way to have engaged customers is through engaged employees.  If companies want positive word-of-mouth and referrals, they must start by focusing on their employees.

That said, there are tools that companies can use to analyze, if not influence, the dialogue.  The growing influence of social media outlets like Facebook, YouTube and others provides companies with both a way to analyze current word-of-mouth opinions and a means to react to any negative perceptions.  Used wisely and sincerely, communication through these portals can provide a company with good intelligence and a platform for customers to speak out.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

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Go to the full discussion at RetailWire.com:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12886    

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Social Network Ignorance

DISCUSSION TOPIC:  Marketers Don’t Get Social Networks

TOPIC SUMMARY:

Social networks are all about relationship building. Yet marketers are continuing to use mainstream advertising ploys – including hammering home messages – in targeting the medium rather than just having conversations.

“Frequency of message is not the idea here,” Rick Murray, president of Edelman digital, told Advertising Age. “Frequency of contact is.”

Charlene Li, VP and principal analyst at Forrester Research, agreed that marketers haven’t seemed to figure out that this is a channel where consumers actually want to be spoken to.

“[Consumers] are asking questions on these sites that go unanswered,” she said. “You can’t ask for a better environment. And what do marketers do? They say nothing and put up another ad.”

Discussion questions:  What’s the difference between mainstream marketing techniques and efforts targeting MySpace and other social networking sites? How should mainstream advertising be tweaked to work on social networking sites?

My post:

Few retailers or brands have taken the time to research how to best use the social networks for marketing efforts.  Therefore, most efforts have been to slam their regular mainstream marketing onto these sites – a huge mistake.  Retailers and brands would do well to research the many quality “how-to” sites for social networking entrepreneurs. These sites provide excellent lessons on how to write compelling content for blogs, social networks, etc.  Key points:

• Remember: These are conversations not ads. Talk, engage, but don’t sell.
• Who will do the postings on blogs, MySpace, etc.? They must speak with an authentic voice, aligned with the company’s voice.
• Can you commit to regular updates? If not, don’t start.
• Have you prepared for the inevitable complaints and bad comments about your brand/product?
• Give stuff away. The way you gain trust with your audience and get them to buy your product eventually is to prove that your stuff is worthwhile. This method is used to great advantage in information marketing and should be utilized in product marketing.
• Test, test, test, and test some more. This medium is continuously evolving and the best are always looking to tweak their approach.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

http://www.osoriogroup.com/

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GO TO THE FULL DISCUSSION AT RETAILWIRE.COM:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12828  

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You want my info? Give me great service!

DISCUSSION TOPIC:  Consumers Want Service for Private Details

TOPIC SUMMARY:

A new poll from Harris Interactive, commissioned by Chordiant Software, finds that consumers, to varying degrees, believe it’s important that companies have information about their buying habits and other personal details to provide the level of service they seek.

According to the study, 64 percent of respondents thought it was either “very important” or “important” that companies had a personal history on them.

Having the information is one thing but what consumers are most interested in is what is done with it. Today’s consumers, according to the study, are willing to walk when they feel even the least bit slighted.

Sixty-two percent, for example, said they would not hesitate to cancel or switch service or product suppliers after having a bad experience. Seventy-eight percent said poor customer service would cause them to shop elsewhere.

Younger consumers seem particularly unwilling to understand subpar performance from the companies they patronize. They are more than willing, however, to go online and share their bad experience with thousands of people.

Discussion questions: Are you surprised that more consumers seem willing to share personal information with retailers and other companies? Are retailers and others really taking this information to provide a higher level of service to consumers? Where do you see the greatest opportunities for retailers to take personal information and translate it into a more meaningful relationship with shoppers?

My post:

I am a bit surprised that such a high percentage of consumers (64%) thought it important for companies to have their personal information.  It speaks to the desperation of consumers to have better experiences with retailers and brands and that they believe if the company has their information it will lead to personalized high-value experience.  Unfortunately, most companies have not shown the ability to consistently deliver a more positive experience on the basis of owning personal data.  This is an enormous opportunity area for the companies who figure out how to use the personal data they have to personalize the consumer relationship.

The under-30 crowd will continue to drive open sharing of personal data and I expect data safety will continue to improve.  Now it is up to the retailers and brands to use it effectively.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

http://www.osoriogroup.com/

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GO TO THE FULL DISCUSSION AT RETAILWIRE.COM:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12814  

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Thank you for visiting my blog!  Please subscribe using the RSS button and comment on my postings.  Comments are the life-blood of any blog and I appreciate yours!

Customers are Talking. Are Retail Execs Listening?

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RETAILWIRE DISCUSSION TOPIC

Engaging in Digital Consumer Conversations – 1/30/08
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TOPIC SUMMARY:

With countless digital consumer conversations increasingly swaying opinions across the world, the most successful companies will be those that “merge traditional and digital consumer data and integrate them into their everyday operations.” That’s the conclusion of a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, How consumer conversation will transform business.However, the report also found that although executives recognize the potential of digital consumer conversations, they still have difficulty interpreting and reacting to them.

Discussion question: Do you also find that executives are having “difficulty interpreting and reacting” to the opportunity around digital conversations? How do you think companies should approach exploring the value behind digital conversations?

My post:

Executives in many (most?) companies don’t take the time to fully understand social media – what the conversations mean, their individual and aggregate relevance, the potential ROI from this arena, etc.  They tend to fall back on what they know and interpret social media data through the filter of traditional marketing and consumer data gathering methods.  With social media driving more and more consumer opinion and behavior, executives must engage those with social media expertise.  They need to determine how much weight to give social media in strategic planning and decision making.  It is not too late to attack this, but it soon may be.

 Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ™ strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

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GO TO THE FULL STORY AND DISCUSSION:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12726   

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Thank you for visiting my blog!  Please subscribe using the RSS button and comment on my posts.  Comments are the life-blood of any blog and I appreciate yours!

The Marketing Power of Blogs

As part of my role as a retail industry speaker, coach and consultant, I am now posting to relevant online retail blogs, sites, etc.  I will use my blog to bring these postings to you, my readers.  I will always provide a link to the originating site or blog so you can enjoy their full content if you should so desire. 

I hope that you will take the time to send a brief comment on my postings!

To your success and daring you to be contagious,

~Mike

Here is a recent posting to a discussion topic at RetailWire – a terrific resource for daily retail industry news and analysis.

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RETAILWIRE DISCUSSION TOPIC:
The Marketing Power of Blogs
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TOPIC SUMMARY:
For many small businesses, blogging is proving to be a low-cost, high-return way to create public awareness. Across businesses, blogging companies are still a small minority.  What do you think of the potential as well as the limitations of using a blog as a marketing tool? What types of businesses can best capitalize on blogging? What, if any, has been your experience with blogging?

My post:

The current wave of social media (YouTube, MySpace, LinkedIn, blogs, etc.) is teaching us that consumers want to be a part of the conversation. As a retailer, are you engaged fully with your customers in rich dialogue about your brand, products and services? If you are not blogging and using other social media, the answer is probably “no.” I highly encourage retailers to consider making social media an integrated part of their marketing strategy. That said, you cannot just “jump in.” Like everything else in your marketing arsenal, social media needs to be carefully thought through. Your customer’s experience on your blog must be congruent with other customer touch points. Other posters rightly stated that blogs work best for product categories where there is a desire for customer dialogue. Basics and consumer staples will not likely be effective blogging subjects. Consider
1) Who will be your blogger(s)? They must speak with an authentic voice, aligned with the company’s voice.
2) Can you commit to regular updates? If not, don’t start.
3) Have you prepared for the inevitable complaints and bad comments about your brand/product?
4) Have you considered a presence on other social media like MySpace or YouTube? You should. Most of your customers are in multiple social media sites–you need to be (authentically) where your customers are if you want to truly engage them in conversations.
Mike Osorio, Principal, www.OsorioGroup.com

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GO TO THE FULL STORY AND DISCUSSION:
http://www.retailwire.com/Email/Discussion.cfm/12654
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